Narrative:

I was departing VFR from oak at XA00 to smx. Oak was busy as many aircraft were departing after a major sporting event. It sounded like one controller was running ground/clearance and tower. It sounded like she was having difficulty keeping up with the workload. I had contacted her for clearance instructions to smx. I was told to expect runway 27 and stay at or below 2500 ft and I was given my transponder code. When I was ready for takeoff; I contacted her on tower frequency and I am confident that I heard her give me instructions for a 'left downwind departure.' this surprised me as I expected a right turn based on my review of normal departure practices. To confirm; I made sure I read back loud and clear: 'cleared for takeoff; left downwind departure; runway 27R.' the controller did not offer any correction; so I proceeded onto runway 27R and departed with the idea that the controller had a purpose for me going left downwind. As I was climbing out and preparing to turn left; I noticed an airplane rolling down runway 29. Initially I didn't know if it was landing or taking off. Keeping a close eye on that airplane as I made my crosswind turn to a heading of 180 degrees; I saw it was indeed departing. At this point I felt like the departing aircraft would safely travel 600-900 ft beneath me as I proceeded to make my downwind turn to a heading of 090 degrees. Even though it all seemed safe; the situation still was a bit precarious; dependent upon the departing aircraft's rate of climb. Shortly after starting downwind and at an altitude above 1800 ft MSL; the controller contacted me asking why I was going left. I responded to her with full confidence that she had told me to make a left downwind departure. She said she would have to look into that matter. Nevertheless; she instructed me to reduce my altitude to: at or below 1400 ft. Within about 5 mins she terminated service and had me squawk VFR; instructing me to remain out of san francisco class B airspace. After oak canceled service; I decided I would proceed VFR on a course toward moffett field and then over the top of san jose. Using current charts and a handheld GPS; I felt prepared to navigation the airspace. I proceeded to climb above 2500 ft MSL. As I was climbing; I realized I was headed to a section of overlap with moffett and an extension north of san jose class C designated as san jose 1500/4000. It is possible that I may have entered this segment of class C airspace. I did; however; quickly climb above to clear san jose class C and always staying below sfo class B. In retrospect; after oak terminated service; I should have tried to establish flight following with departure to simplify navigating through this area; particularly at night. I was somewhat preoccupied rehashing the miscom issue that occurred earlier with oak; and I let it affect my other decision making.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA32 PVT PLT DEPARTING OAK HAS A MISCOM WITH THE CTLR REGARDING DEP PROCS.

Narrative: I WAS DEPARTING VFR FROM OAK AT XA00 TO SMX. OAK WAS BUSY AS MANY ACFT WERE DEPARTING AFTER A MAJOR SPORTING EVENT. IT SOUNDED LIKE ONE CTLR WAS RUNNING GND/CLRNC AND TWR. IT SOUNDED LIKE SHE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY KEEPING UP WITH THE WORKLOAD. I HAD CONTACTED HER FOR CLRNC INSTRUCTIONS TO SMX. I WAS TOLD TO EXPECT RWY 27 AND STAY AT OR BELOW 2500 FT AND I WAS GIVEN MY XPONDER CODE. WHEN I WAS READY FOR TKOF; I CONTACTED HER ON TWR FREQ AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT I HEARD HER GIVE ME INSTRUCTIONS FOR A 'L DOWNWIND DEP.' THIS SURPRISED ME AS I EXPECTED A R TURN BASED ON MY REVIEW OF NORMAL DEP PRACTICES. TO CONFIRM; I MADE SURE I READ BACK LOUD AND CLR: 'CLRED FOR TKOF; L DOWNWIND DEP; RWY 27R.' THE CTLR DID NOT OFFER ANY CORRECTION; SO I PROCEEDED ONTO RWY 27R AND DEPARTED WITH THE IDEA THAT THE CTLR HAD A PURPOSE FOR ME GOING L DOWNWIND. AS I WAS CLBING OUT AND PREPARING TO TURN L; I NOTICED AN AIRPLANE ROLLING DOWN RWY 29. INITIALLY I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS LNDG OR TAKING OFF. KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THAT AIRPLANE AS I MADE MY XWIND TURN TO A HDG OF 180 DEGS; I SAW IT WAS INDEED DEPARTING. AT THIS POINT I FELT LIKE THE DEPARTING ACFT WOULD SAFELY TRAVEL 600-900 FT BENEATH ME AS I PROCEEDED TO MAKE MY DOWNWIND TURN TO A HDG OF 090 DEGS. EVEN THOUGH IT ALL SEEMED SAFE; THE SITUATION STILL WAS A BIT PRECARIOUS; DEPENDENT UPON THE DEPARTING ACFT'S RATE OF CLB. SHORTLY AFTER STARTING DOWNWIND AND AT AN ALT ABOVE 1800 FT MSL; THE CTLR CONTACTED ME ASKING WHY I WAS GOING L. I RESPONDED TO HER WITH FULL CONFIDENCE THAT SHE HAD TOLD ME TO MAKE A L DOWNWIND DEP. SHE SAID SHE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT MATTER. NEVERTHELESS; SHE INSTRUCTED ME TO REDUCE MY ALT TO: AT OR BELOW 1400 FT. WITHIN ABOUT 5 MINS SHE TERMINATED SVC AND HAD ME SQUAWK VFR; INSTRUCTING ME TO REMAIN OUT OF SAN FRANCISCO CLASS B AIRSPACE. AFTER OAK CANCELED SVC; I DECIDED I WOULD PROCEED VFR ON A COURSE TOWARD MOFFETT FIELD AND THEN OVER THE TOP OF SAN JOSE. USING CURRENT CHARTS AND A HANDHELD GPS; I FELT PREPARED TO NAV THE AIRSPACE. I PROCEEDED TO CLB ABOVE 2500 FT MSL. AS I WAS CLBING; I REALIZED I WAS HEADED TO A SECTION OF OVERLAP WITH MOFFETT AND AN EXTENSION N OF SAN JOSE CLASS C DESIGNATED AS SAN JOSE 1500/4000. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT I MAY HAVE ENTERED THIS SEGMENT OF CLASS C AIRSPACE. I DID; HOWEVER; QUICKLY CLB ABOVE TO CLR SAN JOSE CLASS C AND ALWAYS STAYING BELOW SFO CLASS B. IN RETROSPECT; AFTER OAK TERMINATED SVC; I SHOULD HAVE TRIED TO ESTABLISH FLT FOLLOWING WITH DEP TO SIMPLIFY NAVING THROUGH THIS AREA; PARTICULARLY AT NIGHT. I WAS SOMEWHAT PREOCCUPIED REHASHING THE MISCOM ISSUE THAT OCCURRED EARLIER WITH OAK; AND I LET IT AFFECT MY OTHER DECISION MAKING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.