PLT OF C172 DEPARTS VFR TO PICK UP IFR CLRNC. ENTERS IMC WITHOUT CLRNC. HE HAS HEADING INDICATOR WHICH PRECESSES AND IS OFF COURSE TURNING TOWARD AN MD80 ON APCH.

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HAD A TRIP PLANNED TO DAYTON; OH; FOR ABOUT A YEAR. ON OCT/XX/97; GOT TO THE ARPT; CEILING AND VISIBILITY WERE LOW. CHK WX; 1000 FT AND 2 MI VISIBILITY. PLANNED THE TRIP; AND FILED IFR FLT PLAN. TKOF FROM CREVE COURE ARPT 1HO TURNED N AND CALLED DEP CTL FOR MY CLRNC. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY AND TOLD ME TO MAINTAIN VFR REMAIN CLR OF CLASS B AND STANDBY. AS I WAS CLBING OUT IT SEEMED THE CEILING DROPPED VERY FAST AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I WAS SURROUNDED IN CLOUDS WITHOUT MY CLRNC. I ATTEMPTED TO MAINTAIN VFR BUT IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE. CTLR GAVE ME A TFC ALERT AT 12 O'CLOCK POS. I HAD TO TELL HIM I WAS IMC. AFTER 1 OR 2 MINS HE GAVE ME MY DIRECT TO HUF ARPT; CLB AND MAINTAIN 2500 FT TURN R 080 DEGS. NOT KNOWING THAT THE HEADING INDICATOR WAS PRECESSING BADLY; SOMEHOW TURNED TO A HDG OF 175 DEGS. CTLR GAVE ME SEVERAL L TURNS TO N. THE REASON FOR THIS I FOUND OUT LATER THAT I HAD TURNED TOWARD OR IN FRONT OF AN MD80 CARRIER. I DO NOT KNOW IF THERE WAS AIRSPACE VIOLATIONS OR NOT. LESSONS LEARNED: ALWAYS GET YOUR IFR CLRNC ON THE GND. DON'T THINK YOU CAN ALWAYS MAINTAIN VFR. SETTING HEADING ON RWY DOESN'T MEAN IT WILL BE OKAY AT 1000 FT.