Narrative:

We had planned a flight from ZZZ to cgc; routing slightly east of tampa class B inner circle; avoiding all controled airspace. We took off from vnc on runway 4 and made right traffic to avoid over-flying the city and headed to the shore and turned north avoiding other airport traffic. We then turned northeast to intercept our course and approaching the outside ring of sarasota class C; I contacted tampa approach and said I was 'north of venice en route to crystal river area and requested flight following.' the controller assigned a squawk code and confirmed us on radar. As we proceeded towards course the controller said we were approaching the departure path of sarasota and directed us towards the northwest; to follow the barrier islands; away from our desired course. I apologized and turned northwest. When we were abeam the airport the controller said that we were free to resume our own navigation and to resume the shore to the northwest. I acknowledged that we would resume northwest. I understand this to mean that we could resume our course towards the bay shore northwest of the airport. Believing I was clear of the inner circle of the class C and well below any traffic; I again turned towards the northeast to resume our desired course. As we got closer to the approach corridor the controller said that I had flown into the approach path of several airplanes; and that he had told me to stay to the northwest. I executed a turn to 280 degrees to quickly get out of the way. We then continued to follow the barrier islands to the northwest with no further incidents. The main problem was miscom on my part. I realize now that the controller had no idea that my plan was to head east of the airport and my initial position would have implied a coastal route. I was interpreting his communications with my desired plan in mind and therefore misunderstood his directions. Possible solutions are to be more specific on my route request during my initial request and to ask for confirmation if there is any doubt.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF R44 HELI MISUNDERSTANDS INSTRUCTIONS OF TAMPA TRACON AND FLIES INTO DEP PATH OF OTHER ACFT.

Narrative: WE HAD PLANNED A FLT FROM ZZZ TO CGC; ROUTING SLIGHTLY E OF TAMPA CLASS B INNER CIRCLE; AVOIDING ALL CTLED AIRSPACE. WE TOOK OFF FROM VNC ON RWY 4 AND MADE R TFC TO AVOID OVER-FLYING THE CITY AND HEADED TO THE SHORE AND TURNED N AVOIDING OTHER ARPT TFC. WE THEN TURNED NE TO INTERCEPT OUR COURSE AND APCHING THE OUTSIDE RING OF SARASOTA CLASS C; I CONTACTED TAMPA APCH AND SAID I WAS 'N OF VENICE ENRTE TO CRYSTAL RIVER AREA AND REQUESTED FLT FOLLOWING.' THE CTLR ASSIGNED A SQUAWK CODE AND CONFIRMED US ON RADAR. AS WE PROCEEDED TOWARDS COURSE THE CTLR SAID WE WERE APCHING THE DEP PATH OF SARASOTA AND DIRECTED US TOWARDS THE NW; TO FOLLOW THE BARRIER ISLANDS; AWAY FROM OUR DESIRED COURSE. I APOLOGIZED AND TURNED NW. WHEN WE WERE ABEAM THE ARPT THE CTLR SAID THAT WE WERE FREE TO RESUME OUR OWN NAV AND TO RESUME THE SHORE TO THE NW. I ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WE WOULD RESUME NW. I UNDERSTAND THIS TO MEAN THAT WE COULD RESUME OUR COURSE TOWARDS THE BAY SHORE NW OF THE ARPT. BELIEVING I WAS CLR OF THE INNER CIRCLE OF THE CLASS C AND WELL BELOW ANY TFC; I AGAIN TURNED TOWARDS THE NE TO RESUME OUR DESIRED COURSE. AS WE GOT CLOSER TO THE APCH CORRIDOR THE CTLR SAID THAT I HAD FLOWN INTO THE APCH PATH OF SEVERAL AIRPLANES; AND THAT HE HAD TOLD ME TO STAY TO THE NW. I EXECUTED A TURN TO 280 DEGS TO QUICKLY GET OUT OF THE WAY. WE THEN CONTINUED TO FOLLOW THE BARRIER ISLANDS TO THE NW WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENTS. THE MAIN PROB WAS MISCOM ON MY PART. I REALIZE NOW THAT THE CTLR HAD NO IDEA THAT MY PLAN WAS TO HEAD E OF THE ARPT AND MY INITIAL POS WOULD HAVE IMPLIED A COASTAL RTE. I WAS INTERPRETING HIS COMS WITH MY DESIRED PLAN IN MIND AND THEREFORE MISUNDERSTOOD HIS DIRECTIONS. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS ARE TO BE MORE SPECIFIC ON MY RTE REQUEST DURING MY INITIAL REQUEST AND TO ASK FOR CONFIRMATION IF THERE IS ANY DOUBT.

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.