Narrative:

I was operating a bell jet ranger helicopter. I was holding on taxiway a north of taxiway K waiting for takeoff clearance (see diagram). My departure course was going to be northwest and the airport was in a south flow. The controller then issued the following: 'from a taxiway, cleared on course, pass north of runway 17R on departure.' I asked for readback on the last part of clearance regarding passing north of runway 17R on departure as I proceeded to takeoff from the taxiway. The controller repeated that I should pass north of runway 17R and then asked if I had the king air departing from runway 17R. I confirmed king air in sight. At this time I was trying to determine exactly what it was the controller was expecting. I felt the only way to pass north of runway 17R was to make a left turn out and this would give me a better angle to comply with the clearance (diagram page 1). A right turn would have put me right over the terminal area and required a right turn to comply with the clearance as I believe I heard it. I initiated a left turn, and as I did I heard the controller clear another aircraft for touch and go runway 17L. The controller then queried me as to if I had aircraft on short final runway 17L. I said I did. He then instructed me to pass east of that aircraft and to contact departure control. No other comments were made, but I have a distinct feeling that the controller was not expecting my left turn. Under normal conditions I would have made sure I understood exactly what the controller wanted me to do. I believe that in this situation, at the time of occurrence, pilot workload was very high and on the job stress was affecting pilot's decision making process. I also believe the controller, who is used to working with our aircraft, issued a bad clearance. Normally the clearance would have been 'from a taxiway right turn on course approved, cleared for takeoff, pass behind king air departing runway 17R.' that is the type of clearance I was expecting and by deviating from expected, I was caught off guard. Complacency will lead to problems and pilots must guard against it at all times. Next time, the helicopter doesn't move from hover unless I'm positive exactly what the controller wants me to do and which way I'm expected to turn.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI TRACK DIFFERENT FROM ATC CLRNC EXPECTATION DURING DEP FROM CLASS C. DEV FROM CLRNC ROUTE.

Narrative: I WAS OPERATING A BELL JET RANGER HELI. I WAS HOLDING ON TXWY A N OF TXWY K WAITING FOR TKOF CLRNC (SEE DIAGRAM). MY DEP COURSE WAS GOING TO BE NW AND THE ARPT WAS IN A S FLOW. THE CTLR THEN ISSUED THE FOLLOWING: 'FROM A TXWY, CLRED ON COURSE, PASS N OF RWY 17R ON DEP.' I ASKED FOR READBACK ON THE LAST PART OF CLRNC REGARDING PASSING N OF RWY 17R ON DEP AS I PROCEEDED TO TKOF FROM THE TXWY. THE CTLR REPEATED THAT I SHOULD PASS N OF RWY 17R AND THEN ASKED IF I HAD THE KING AIR DEPARTING FROM RWY 17R. I CONFIRMED KING AIR IN SIGHT. AT THIS TIME I WAS TRYING TO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS THE CTLR WAS EXPECTING. I FELT THE ONLY WAY TO PASS N OF RWY 17R WAS TO MAKE A L TURN OUT AND THIS WOULD GIVE ME A BETTER ANGLE TO COMPLY WITH THE CLRNC (DIAGRAM PAGE 1). A R TURN WOULD HAVE PUT ME RIGHT OVER THE TERMINAL AREA AND REQUIRED A R TURN TO COMPLY WITH THE CLRNC AS I BELIEVE I HEARD IT. I INITIATED A L TURN, AND AS I DID I HEARD THE CTLR CLR ANOTHER ACFT FOR TOUCH AND GO RWY 17L. THE CTLR THEN QUERIED ME AS TO IF I HAD ACFT ON SHORT FINAL RWY 17L. I SAID I DID. HE THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO PASS E OF THAT ACFT AND TO CONTACT DEP CTL. NO OTHER COMMENTS WERE MADE, BUT I HAVE A DISTINCT FEELING THAT THE CTLR WAS NOT EXPECTING MY L TURN. UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS I WOULD HAVE MADE SURE I UNDERSTOOD EXACTLY WHAT THE CTLR WANTED ME TO DO. I BELIEVE THAT IN THIS SIT, AT THE TIME OF OCCURRENCE, PLT WORKLOAD WAS VERY HIGH AND ON THE JOB STRESS WAS AFFECTING PLT'S DECISION MAKING PROCESS. I ALSO BELIEVE THE CTLR, WHO IS USED TO WORKING WITH OUR ACFT, ISSUED A BAD CLRNC. NORMALLY THE CLRNC WOULD HAVE BEEN 'FROM A TXWY R TURN ON COURSE APPROVED, CLRED FOR TKOF, PASS BEHIND KING AIR DEPARTING RWY 17R.' THAT IS THE TYPE OF CLRNC I WAS EXPECTING AND BY DEVIATING FROM EXPECTED, I WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD. COMPLACENCY WILL LEAD TO PROBS AND PLTS MUST GUARD AGAINST IT AT ALL TIMES. NEXT TIME, THE HELI DOESN'T MOVE FROM HOVER UNLESS I'M POSITIVE EXACTLY WHAT THE CTLR WANTS ME TO DO AND WHICH WAY I'M EXPECTED TO TURN.

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.