Narrative:

At XA30 am I received WX brief plan route was VFR. At XC30 am departed rdd WX drop to MVFR some places. I radioed ZOA for flight following. 20 mins in flight, I requested IFR clearance. At 5000 ft MSL I enter IMC. After entering IMC I reset the directional gyroscope to compass heading, in the meantime, I was to climb to 11000 ft at 160 degree heading. ATC called and asked me if I was on a 160 degree. I said yes. My directional gyroscope said 160 degrees, but I looked at my compass it said 360 degrees. I reset again, and a few mins later, ATC asked me if I had a problem? I said no. Again ATC asked me to check heading. I did and my directional gyroscope was off again. I was going in circles. ATC called again and said they are declaring an emergency and vectoring me back to rdd. I was IMC at 10000 ft. I was told by ATC to do what she said and not use directional gyroscope or compass. I wasn't sure by now if the altitude indicator was right either. So I used airspeed, turn bank and altitude information to keep me level. ATC told me when to turn, when to stop turn. ATC got me to rdd. I broke out of IMC at 2600 ft MSL. After seeing runway I called the tower for request to land. They replied airport is clear, take any runway you want. Also at 3500 ft ATC lost radio contact with me. Another pilot in the air relayed information to ATC. The ATC controller did a great job getting me on ground. After I was on the ground, I discovered that I put my hand-held radio on the dashboard, (magnet in speakers) behind the compass. Anywhere I pointed the plane the compass went to north.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PLT IN A C175 FINDS THAT HIS HEADING CONTINUOUSLY CHANGED AND THE ALERT ARTCC RADAR CTLR DECLARES AN EMER FOR HIM AND VECTORS HIM BACK TO HIS HOME ARPT.

Narrative: AT XA30 AM I RECEIVED WX BRIEF PLAN RTE WAS VFR. AT XC30 AM DEPARTED RDD WX DROP TO MVFR SOME PLACES. I RADIOED ZOA FOR FLT FOLLOWING. 20 MINS IN FLT, I REQUESTED IFR CLRNC. AT 5000 FT MSL I ENTER IMC. AFTER ENTERING IMC I RESET THE DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE TO COMPASS HEADING, IN THE MEANTIME, I WAS TO CLB TO 11000 FT AT 160 DEG HDG. ATC CALLED AND ASKED ME IF I WAS ON A 160 DEG. I SAID YES. MY DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE SAID 160 DEGS, BUT I LOOKED AT MY COMPASS IT SAID 360 DEGS. I RESET AGAIN, AND A FEW MINS LATER, ATC ASKED ME IF I HAD A PROB? I SAID NO. AGAIN ATC ASKED ME TO CHK HEADING. I DID AND MY DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE WAS OFF AGAIN. I WAS GOING IN CIRCLES. ATC CALLED AGAIN AND SAID THEY ARE DECLARING AN EMER AND VECTORING ME BACK TO RDD. I WAS IMC AT 10000 FT. I WAS TOLD BY ATC TO DO WHAT SHE SAID AND NOT USE DIRECTIONAL GYROSCOPE OR COMPASS. I WASN'T SURE BY NOW IF THE ALT INDICATOR WAS RIGHT EITHER. SO I USED AIRSPD, TURN BANK AND ALT INFO TO KEEP ME LEVEL. ATC TOLD ME WHEN TO TURN, WHEN TO STOP TURN. ATC GOT ME TO RDD. I BROKE OUT OF IMC AT 2600 FT MSL. AFTER SEEING RWY I CALLED THE TWR FOR REQUEST TO LAND. THEY REPLIED ARPT IS CLR, TAKE ANY RWY YOU WANT. ALSO AT 3500 FT ATC LOST RADIO CONTACT WITH ME. ANOTHER PLT IN THE AIR RELAYED INFO TO ATC. THE ATC CTLR DID A GREAT JOB GETTING ME ON GND. AFTER I WAS ON THE GND, I DISCOVERED THAT I PUT MY HAND-HELD RADIO ON THE DASHBOARD, (MAGNET IN SPEAKERS) BEHIND THE COMPASS. ANYWHERE I POINTED THE PLANE THE COMPASS WENT TO N.

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.