Narrative:

I requested a 'pasadena departure' which, when executed, will have the aircraft fly a northerly heading then, midfield, a northeast course of 060 degrees to selected chkpoints outbound from the airport. I was cleared to what I believed was a pasadena departure, and responded with a 'cleared for takeoff.' on climbing out, at midfield, I turned my course to 060 degrees and then I noticed an airliner rolling diagonally on my right side (they were on runway 12). I saw them rotate thereafter. I looked at my altimeter and saw I was almost 400 ft MSL, speculated that I must have been at about 300 ft when they moved into my field of view. No action was needed on my part, so I continued on. I was almost out of the hobby airspace when the airliner made a comment to the controller that the helicopter was 'unacceptably close' and debated with the controller about the circumstance. I was then requested to call the tower at my earlier convenience. I called the tower and spoke to tower supervisor who relayed to me that he had listened to the recording several times of my requested clearance and I had requested the 'pearland departure' (this departure would put me on a southerly departing course away from the airport and never crossing any runways). Supervisor indicated that I requested what I was cleared for -- 'a pearland departure.' I do not question him or the fine crew at the tower, however, my initial reaction was shock that I made such a mistake in my initial request earlier, but it did happen as evidenced by the recording. Contributing factors may be due to the departures beginning with the letter 'P', and in my haste, I may have requested a route that was incorrect. In short, requested a 'pearland' while thinking 'pasadena' departure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BELL 206 HELI PLT REQUESTS 1 VFR DEP RTE AND FOLLOWS A DIFFERENT RTE AFTER TKOF, CREATING A CONFLICT WITH A DEP ACR WHILE XING A RWY AT HOU.

Narrative: I REQUESTED A 'PASADENA DEP' WHICH, WHEN EXECUTED, WILL HAVE THE ACFT FLY A NORTHERLY HDG THEN, MIDFIELD, A NE COURSE OF 060 DEGS TO SELECTED CHKPOINTS OUTBOUND FROM THE ARPT. I WAS CLRED TO WHAT I BELIEVED WAS A PASADENA DEP, AND RESPONDED WITH A 'CLRED FOR TKOF.' ON CLBING OUT, AT MIDFIELD, I TURNED MY COURSE TO 060 DEGS AND THEN I NOTICED AN AIRLINER ROLLING DIAGONALLY ON MY R SIDE (THEY WERE ON RWY 12). I SAW THEM ROTATE THEREAFTER. I LOOKED AT MY ALTIMETER AND SAW I WAS ALMOST 400 FT MSL, SPECULATED THAT I MUST HAVE BEEN AT ABOUT 300 FT WHEN THEY MOVED INTO MY FIELD OF VIEW. NO ACTION WAS NEEDED ON MY PART, SO I CONTINUED ON. I WAS ALMOST OUT OF THE HOBBY AIRSPACE WHEN THE AIRLINER MADE A COMMENT TO THE CTLR THAT THE HELI WAS 'UNACCEPTABLY CLOSE' AND DEBATED WITH THE CTLR ABOUT THE CIRCUMSTANCE. I WAS THEN REQUESTED TO CALL THE TWR AT MY EARLIER CONVENIENCE. I CALLED THE TWR AND SPOKE TO TWR SUPVR WHO RELAYED TO ME THAT HE HAD LISTENED TO THE RECORDING SEVERAL TIMES OF MY REQUESTED CLRNC AND I HAD REQUESTED THE 'PEARLAND DEP' (THIS DEP WOULD PUT ME ON A SOUTHERLY DEPARTING COURSE AWAY FROM THE ARPT AND NEVER XING ANY RWYS). SUPVR INDICATED THAT I REQUESTED WHAT I WAS CLRED FOR -- 'A PEARLAND DEP.' I DO NOT QUESTION HIM OR THE FINE CREW AT THE TWR, HOWEVER, MY INITIAL REACTION WAS SHOCK THAT I MADE SUCH A MISTAKE IN MY INITIAL REQUEST EARLIER, BUT IT DID HAPPEN AS EVIDENCED BY THE RECORDING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS MAY BE DUE TO THE DEPS BEGINNING WITH THE LETTER 'P', AND IN MY HASTE, I MAY HAVE REQUESTED A RTE THAT WAS INCORRECT. IN SHORT, REQUESTED A 'PEARLAND' WHILE THINKING 'PASADENA' DEP.

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.