The wet compass in an small aircraft failed while the pilot was flying IFR in IMC.

Attributes
ACN	244292
Time
Date	199306
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pwm airport : rxd
State Reference	ME
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zbw
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 750 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	244282
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On climb out from rkd in IMC, I adjusted directional gyroscope to agree with compass. After some time, ATC began to question my heading. I realized I had a problem and blamed it on a precessing gyro in the dg. With every correction from ATC, I adjusted the dg. Finally, I was vectored to portland and asked to land. Once I broke out of clouds I realized my problem was not with dg but with wet compass. A bad wet compass just did not occur to me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE WET COMPASS IN AN SMA FAILED WHILE THE PLT WAS FLYING IFR IN IMC.

Narrative: ON CLBOUT FROM RKD IN IMC, I ADJUSTED DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE TO AGREE WITH COMPASS. AFTER SOME TIME, ATC BEGAN TO QUESTION MY HDG. I REALIZED I HAD A PROB AND BLAMED IT ON A PRECESSING GYRO IN THE DG. WITH EVERY CORRECTION FROM ATC, I ADJUSTED THE DG. FINALLY, I WAS VECTORED TO PORTLAND AND ASKED TO LAND. ONCE I BROKE OUT OF CLOUDS I REALIZED MY PROB WAS NOT WITH DG BUT WITH WET COMPASS. A BAD WET COMPASS JUST DID NOT OCCUR TO ME.

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.