Narrative:

Departed cambridge (cge) on last leg of long cross country. Shortly after takeoff, discovered directional gyroscope was not working. Decided to continue using magnetic compass since I was flying home VOR to VOR with 1ST leg to smyrna (eno). Called leesburg FSS to activate flight plan. Explained directional gyroscope had failed. They asked if I was alone and needed a steer back to cge. I said 'yes' and 'no' respectively. I had trouble aligning with the eno VOR and called patuxent (nhk) approach for flight following and a possible steer. Passenger informed me I was 1 mi inside bwi's class B airspace, and suggested I contact bwi approach. I did, and told them passenger said I was in their airspace, and requested a steer back to cge. They were very helpful, in spite of being very busy, and got me back to cge. I phoned my flight instructor and we agreed I should fly to waterloo, de (ATR), and up the jersey shore to my destination, old bridge, nj (3NG). Balance of trip uneventful, except for excellent ATC support from passenger, dover, atlantic city and mcguire on way home. Since I was still in a climb, the magnetic compass was not accurate. I was headed the wrong way, didn't realize it, and was complacent because I was almost on my radial. Since I was headed away from the VOR, with a 'to' indication, every attempt to 'fly the needle' made matters worse. I think my desire to get home and the fact I planned this trip for so long (I've been trying to make the trip since nov/94), made me overconfident. I will never again continue with a damaged instrument without thinking everything through on the ground. I feel I did the right thing (finally) by asking passenger for help, but if I had done so immediately, I could have avoided the class B violation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A STUDENT PLT EXPERIENCED A HDG INDICATOR FAILURE ON A XCOUNTRY FLT, BECAME DISORIENTED, AND INADVERTENTLY ENTERED CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT AN ATC CLRNC.

Narrative: DEPARTED CAMBRIDGE (CGE) ON LAST LEG OF LONG XCOUNTRY. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, DISCOVERED DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE WAS NOT WORKING. DECIDED TO CONTINUE USING MAGNETIC COMPASS SINCE I WAS FLYING HOME VOR TO VOR WITH 1ST LEG TO SMYRNA (ENO). CALLED LEESBURG FSS TO ACTIVATE FLT PLAN. EXPLAINED DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE HAD FAILED. THEY ASKED IF I WAS ALONE AND NEEDED A STEER BACK TO CGE. I SAID 'YES' AND 'NO' RESPECTIVELY. I HAD TROUBLE ALIGNING WITH THE ENO VOR AND CALLED PATUXENT (NHK) APCH FOR FLT FOLLOWING AND A POSSIBLE STEER. PAX INFORMED ME I WAS 1 MI INSIDE BWI'S CLASS B AIRSPACE, AND SUGGESTED I CONTACT BWI APCH. I DID, AND TOLD THEM PAX SAID I WAS IN THEIR AIRSPACE, AND REQUESTED A STEER BACK TO CGE. THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL, IN SPITE OF BEING VERY BUSY, AND GOT ME BACK TO CGE. I PHONED MY FLT INSTRUCTOR AND WE AGREED I SHOULD FLY TO WATERLOO, DE (ATR), AND UP THE JERSEY SHORE TO MY DEST, OLD BRIDGE, NJ (3NG). BAL OF TRIP UNEVENTFUL, EXCEPT FOR EXCELLENT ATC SUPPORT FROM PAX, DOVER, ATLANTIC CITY AND MCGUIRE ON WAY HOME. SINCE I WAS STILL IN A CLB, THE MAGNETIC COMPASS WAS NOT ACCURATE. I WAS HEADED THE WRONG WAY, DIDN'T REALIZE IT, AND WAS COMPLACENT BECAUSE I WAS ALMOST ON MY RADIAL. SINCE I WAS HEADED AWAY FROM THE VOR, WITH A 'TO' INDICATION, EVERY ATTEMPT TO 'FLY THE NEEDLE' MADE MATTERS WORSE. I THINK MY DESIRE TO GET HOME AND THE FACT I PLANNED THIS TRIP FOR SO LONG (I'VE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE THE TRIP SINCE NOV/94), MADE ME OVERCONFIDENT. I WILL NEVER AGAIN CONTINUE WITH A DAMAGED INST WITHOUT THINKING EVERYTHING THROUGH ON THE GND. I FEEL I DID THE RIGHT THING (FINALLY) BY ASKING PAX FOR HELP, BUT IF I HAD DONE SO IMMEDIATELY, I COULD HAVE AVOIDED THE CLASS B VIOLATION.

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.