PLT OF C182RG HURRIES THROUGH RUNUP PROCS AND DOES NOT SET HIS DIRECTIONAL GYRO. DEPARTING; HE TURNS WRONG DIRECTION AND ENTERS RESTR AIRSPACE.

Narrative

CHAIN OF EVENTS: MQI WAS A FUEL STOP IN FLT FROM NEW ENGLAND TO HSE. FLT TIME SO FAR 3 3/4 HRS. DURING FUEL STOP; TURNED PLANE AROUND BY HAND WITH PWR OFF; CAUSING DIRECTIONAL GYRO TO BE APPROX 100 DEGS OFF OF EARLIER SETTING. NORMALLY DIRECTIONAL GYRO HAS NO PRECESSION. MQI RWYS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. RUNUP WAS DISTR BY FLAG MEN AND PAVING TRUCKS IN RUNUP AREA. FAILED TO CATCH ERRONEOUS DIRECTIONAL GYRO DURING RUNUP. ON DEP RWY 35; TURNED L XWIND DEP; PREVENTED FROM IMMEDIATE TURN TO DOWNWIND BY SCATTERED CLOUD BASES AT 900 FT. BY THE TIME I 'TURNED' ARPT AREA NO LONGER VISIBLE IN HAZE. LEVELED AT 1000-1200 FT. FOLLOWED DIRECTIONAL GYRO HDG OF 180 DEGS OVER LANDSCAPE WHICH RESEMBLED ROANOKE ISLAND. WITHIN 3-5 MINS; AS ISLAND DIDN'T END; REALIZED A PROB EXISTED AND BEGAN TO TROUBLESHOOT. AT THIS TIME; 2 MIL JETS SPOTTED ONCOMING HDG; BELOW US. THEY TURNED N; NEVER APCHING CLOSER THAN 1 MI. COMPARED MAGNETIC COMPASS TO DIRECTIONAL GYRO AT THIS TIME AND REALIZED ERROR. TURNED TO 90 DEGS MAGNETIC. SHORTLY WAS OVER WATER; AND IN A FEW MINS MADE LANDFALL N OF INLET. TURNED S ON COURSE. AS I WAS FLYING BY PILOTAGE AT THIS TIME; I FELT I HAD PROBABLY PENETRATED RESTR AREA W OF MQI. PREVENTION: DON'T ALLOW DISTRS TO INTERFERE WITH CHKLISTS. CHANGE CHKLIST ITEM FROM INSTS TO INCLUDE DIRECTIONAL GYRO; ALTIMETER; ALT INDICATOR. HEAT AND LOW VISIBILITY CONTRIBUTED TO DEGRADATION OF PLT PERFORMANCE.