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.