The aircraft departed Dulles International Airport at 1630 EST. No flight plan was filed. The next radio contact with the aircraft was by Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station Approach Control when the controller transmitted the altimeter setting and the pilot acknowledged. Approximately 7 minutes later, the pilot requested and received vectors to the Hilton Head Airport. At 1947, the pilot was told that his gyro might be about 30 degrees off and was given a revised heading. Approximately 2 minutes later, the controller transmitted "Mike Yankee Lima, turn right now, heading two five zero." The pilot's acknowledgement of that statement was the last transmission received from CGMYL. A search ensued, but no major pieces of wreckage were recovered. A plot of the aircraft's flight path revealed that its heading changed back and forth 5 times in the last 2 minutes of recorded flight. Three pieces of wreckage washed up on shore. All were identified as belonging to a Cessna 210.