After IFR departure, directional gyro fails. Pilot cancels IFR, needs assist to return.

Attributes
ACN	163729
Time
Date	199011
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pae
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1400 msl bound upper : 1400
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sea tower : pae tower : dtw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	163792
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Was cleared for an IFR departure and assigned a heading of 130. After departure main dg was inoperative before entering clouds decided to abort flight. Requested from seatle center return to pae and cancelled IFR as I visly had the airport in sight. Seattle center acknowledged cancellation of IFR and had me contact paine tower. After controling the aircraft and slowing it down I lost sight of the airport and had to have paine tower and seattle center assist in locating the airport. I maintained visibility contact with the ground at all times.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER IFR DEP, DIRECTIONAL GYRO FAILS. PLT CANCELS IFR, NEEDS ASSIST TO RETURN.

Narrative: WAS CLRED FOR AN IFR DEP AND ASSIGNED A HDG OF 130. AFTER DEP MAIN DG WAS INOPERATIVE BEFORE ENTERING CLOUDS DECIDED TO ABORT FLT. REQUESTED FROM SEATLE CTR RETURN TO PAE AND CANCELLED IFR AS I VISLY HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. SEATTLE CTR ACKNOWLEDGED CANCELLATION OF IFR AND HAD ME CONTACT PAINE TWR. AFTER CTLING THE ACFT AND SLOWING IT DOWN I LOST SIGHT OF THE ARPT AND HAD TO HAVE PAINE TWR AND SEATTLE CTR ASSIST IN LOCATING THE ARPT. I MAINTAINED VIS CONTACT WITH THE GND AT ALL TIMES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.