The pilot of a C172 reported an near midair collision with a helicopter during takeoff at night. The...

Attributes
ACN	1336627
Time
Date	201603
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Initial Climb
Route In Use	Direct
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Initial Climb
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Private Flight Crew Instrument
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30 Flight Crew Total 130 Flight Crew Type 130
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Conflict NMAC
Miss Distance	Horizontal 100 Vertical 100

Narrative:

I was performing a takeoff at night. From the other side of the field there was a helicopter which was also cleared for departure and was heading northeast bound from the west southwest end of the airport. As I was passing 300 feet MSL I was informed by the tower that the helicopter was going to proceed north-eastbound and that he will be of 'no factor'; however as my plane passed 600 feet MSL I looked up from my instruments and was startled to see a very nice close up of a [military] helicopter. I had to use full forward pressure and idle power from a full power position to avoid a collision with the other aircraft. I always wanted to see a [military helicopter] flying up close but not like this. I am used to looking inside at night during takeoff and climb out because of the airspace and separation so it's quite lucky that I looked outside even though the controller is responsible for separation. Thankfully see and avoid also was used here.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: The pilot of a C172 reported an NMAC with a helicopter during takeoff at night. The Tower had advised that the helicopter would be no factor; but the reporter disagreed.

Narrative: I was performing a takeoff at night. From the other side of the field there was a helicopter which was also cleared for departure and was heading northeast bound from the west southwest end of the airport. As I was passing 300 feet MSL I was informed by the Tower that the helicopter was going to proceed north-eastbound and that he will be of 'no factor'; however as my plane passed 600 feet MSL I looked up from my instruments and was startled to see a very nice close up of a [military] helicopter. I had to use full forward pressure and idle power from a full power position to avoid a collision with the other aircraft. I always wanted to see a [military helicopter] flying up close but not like this. I am used to looking inside at night during takeoff and climb out because of the airspace and separation so it's quite lucky that I looked outside even though the controller is responsible for separation. Thankfully see and avoid also was used here.

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.

The pilot of a C172 reported an near midair collision with a helicopter during takeoff at night. The tower had advised that the helicopter would be no factor; but the reporter disagreed.