A helicopter pilot took off and crossed an active runway contrary to his tower clearance.

Attributes
ACN	850279
Time
Date	200908
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	Takeoff
Route In Use	Direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Landing
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Function	Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Instrument
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 38 Flight Crew Total 9650 Flight Crew Type 500
Events
Anomaly	Conflict Airborne Conflict Deviation - Procedural Clearance
Miss Distance	Horizontal 1500 Vertical 300

Narrative:

After engine start and run-up; tower was called for departure and I was told to hold until I could see an archer on final to runway 13; a runway I would have to cross to depart for my destination. I informed tower that I had contact and was cleared to depart and to keep the archer in sight. As I lifted and started to climb and move forward; the tower came back and said that I was told to pass behind the archer. I did not hear that from the tower and my passengers also stated that that was not what the tower said. I was well clear of the archer and at no time was there any conflict. I apologized to the tower and after returning from the flight I called to see if I could talk to the controller but he was off shift.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A helicopter pilot took off and crossed an active runway contrary to his tower clearance.

Narrative: After engine start and run-up; Tower was called for departure and I was told to hold until I could see an Archer on final to Runway 13; a runway I would have to cross to depart for my destination. I informed Tower that I had contact and was cleared to depart and to keep the Archer in sight. As I lifted and started to climb and move forward; the Tower came back and said that I was told to pass behind the Archer. I did not hear that from the Tower and my passengers also stated that that was not what the Tower said. I was well clear of the Archer and at no time was there any conflict. I apologized to the Tower and after returning from the flight I called to see if I could talk to the Controller but he was off shift.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.