HELI TRACK DIFFERENT FROM ATC CLRNC EXPECTATION DURING DEP FROM CLASS C. DEV FROM CLRNC ROUTE.

Narrative

I WAS OPERATING A BELL JET RANGER HELI. I WAS HOLDING ON TXWY A N OF TXWY K WAITING FOR TKOF CLRNC (SEE DIAGRAM). MY DEP COURSE WAS GOING TO BE NW AND THE ARPT WAS IN A S FLOW. THE CTLR THEN ISSUED THE FOLLOWING: 'FROM A TXWY; CLRED ON COURSE; PASS N OF RWY 17R ON DEP.' I ASKED FOR READBACK ON THE LAST PART OF CLRNC REGARDING PASSING N OF RWY 17R ON DEP AS I PROCEEDED TO TKOF FROM THE TXWY. THE CTLR REPEATED THAT I SHOULD PASS N OF RWY 17R AND THEN ASKED IF I HAD THE KING AIR DEPARTING FROM RWY 17R. I CONFIRMED KING AIR IN SIGHT. AT THIS TIME I WAS TRYING TO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS THE CTLR WAS EXPECTING. I FELT THE ONLY WAY TO PASS N OF RWY 17R WAS TO MAKE A L TURN OUT AND THIS WOULD GIVE ME A BETTER ANGLE TO COMPLY WITH THE CLRNC (DIAGRAM PAGE 1). A R TURN WOULD HAVE PUT ME RIGHT OVER THE TERMINAL AREA AND REQUIRED A R TURN TO COMPLY WITH THE CLRNC AS I BELIEVE I HEARD IT. I INITIATED A L TURN; AND AS I DID I HEARD THE CTLR CLR ANOTHER ACFT FOR TOUCH AND GO RWY 17L. THE CTLR THEN QUERIED ME AS TO IF I HAD ACFT ON SHORT FINAL RWY 17L. I SAID I DID. HE THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO PASS E OF THAT ACFT AND TO CONTACT DEP CTL. NO OTHER COMMENTS WERE MADE; BUT I HAVE A DISTINCT FEELING THAT THE CTLR WAS NOT EXPECTING MY L TURN. UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS I WOULD HAVE MADE SURE I UNDERSTOOD EXACTLY WHAT THE CTLR WANTED ME TO DO. I BELIEVE THAT IN THIS SIT; AT THE TIME OF OCCURRENCE; PLT WORKLOAD WAS VERY HIGH AND ON THE JOB STRESS WAS AFFECTING PLT'S DECISION MAKING PROCESS. I ALSO BELIEVE THE CTLR; WHO IS USED TO WORKING WITH OUR ACFT; ISSUED A BAD CLRNC. NORMALLY THE CLRNC WOULD HAVE BEEN 'FROM A TXWY R TURN ON COURSE APPROVED; CLRED FOR TKOF; PASS BEHIND KING AIR DEPARTING RWY 17R.' THAT IS THE TYPE OF CLRNC I WAS EXPECTING AND BY DEVIATING FROM EXPECTED; I WAS CAUGHT OFF GUARD. COMPLACENCY WILL LEAD TO PROBS AND PLTS MUST GUARD AGAINST IT AT ALL TIMES. NEXT TIME; THE HELI DOESN'T MOVE FROM HOVER UNLESS I'M POSITIVE EXACTLY WHAT THE CTLR WANTS ME TO DO AND WHICH WAY I'M EXPECTED TO TURN.