Narrative:

We contacted vny ground to leave the ramp and taxi to 16L for a southwest departure. Ground cleared us to 'taxi via taxiway B and D for 16L cleared for takeoff'. We held short at D and had to ask for frequency change to tower. Ground advised 'contact tower 119.0'. I contacted tower with request for takeoff 16L for a southwest departure. Tower said '16L cleared for takeoff'. I repeated back to tower what I had heard with no response. We continued out onto 16L. As we began takeoff tower came on the radio advising 'cessna hold short helicopter is entering runway hold short' then quickly advised 'helicopter entering runway the clearance was not for you it was for the cessna holding short at taxiway C'. Tower then advised us to call the tower after arrival and shutdown. After departing the airspace copilot had told me that a similar situation had occurred the day prior with a different captain where ground had cleared them for takeoff on 16L. This had not been an issue due to no other aircraft involvement in the situation. We contacted tower after we had returned; they took down my information and said I would be contacted if there was any other questions. Later we were departing again from vny for relocation of the aircraft. We contacted ground again and asked to taxi for departure. Ground came back over the ground frequency and said 'taxi to 16L via taxi way B; 16L cleared for takeoff' we repeated back and then proceeded to D and held short. Ground control came back and said '16L cleared for takeoff' we said to ground 'confirm 16L cleared for takeoff'? Ground replied with 'yes 16L cleared for takeoff'. We then replied 'we are still on ground do you want us to change frequencies to tower'? Ground control said 'yes switch to tower 119.0'. We switched to 119.0 and confirmed that we were still cleared for takeoff. Tower replied with '16L cleared for takeoff make left downwind departure to leave the area'.what has caused the most confusion for me and my copilot are.1. Ground clearance had been saying '16L cleared for takeoff'2. Copilot had a problem due to tower not keeping a consistent tower frequency switching from fixed wing frequencies and rotor wing frequencies. 3. The last time I had been to the area we were able to depart direct from our location with a large aircraft and now with large aircraft we are required to ground taxi from the east side of the airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Helicopter pilot and two Controllers reported a runway incursion at VNY airport. Communication issues were cited as contributing factors.

Narrative: We contacted VNY ground to leave the ramp and taxi to 16L for a southwest departure. Ground cleared us to 'taxi via Taxiway B and D for 16L cleared for takeoff'. We held short at D and had to ask for frequency change to Tower. Ground advised 'contact Tower 119.0'. I contacted Tower with request for takeoff 16L for a southwest departure. Tower said '16L cleared for takeoff'. I repeated back to Tower what I had heard with no response. We continued out onto 16L. As we began takeoff Tower came on the radio advising 'Cessna hold short helicopter is entering runway hold short' then quickly advised 'helicopter entering runway the clearance was not for you it was for the Cessna holding short at Taxiway C'. Tower then advised us to call the Tower after arrival and shutdown. After departing the airspace copilot had told me that a similar situation had occurred the day prior with a different Captain where ground had cleared them for takeoff on 16L. This had not been an issue due to no other aircraft involvement in the situation. We contacted tower after we had returned; they took down my information and said I would be contacted if there was any other questions. Later we were departing again from VNY for relocation of the aircraft. We contacted ground again and asked to taxi for departure. Ground came back over the ground frequency and said 'taxi to 16L via taxi way B; 16L cleared for takeoff' we repeated back and then proceeded to D and held short. Ground control came back and said '16L cleared for takeoff' we said to ground 'confirm 16L cleared for takeoff'? Ground replied with 'yes 16L cleared for takeoff'. We then replied 'we are still on ground do you want us to change frequencies to Tower'? Ground control said 'yes switch to Tower 119.0'. We switched to 119.0 and confirmed that we were still cleared for takeoff. Tower replied with '16L cleared for takeoff make left downwind departure to leave the area'.What has caused the most confusion for me and my copilot are.1. Ground clearance had been saying '16L cleared for takeoff'2. Copilot had a problem due to Tower not keeping a consistent Tower frequency switching from fixed wing frequencies and rotor wing frequencies. 3. The last time I had been to the area we were able to depart direct from our location with a large aircraft and now with large aircraft we are required to ground taxi from the east side of the airport.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.