Narrative:

Our flight was cleared for takeoff on runway 03 at dca. Tower pointed our helicopter, stationary, to north of departure end of 03 (on runup pad for runway 21). Tower then instructed helicopter to remain northwest of runway 03 (where he already was). Helicopter pilot misinterpreted instruction and climbed vertical to about 50' and turned to a southeast heading and crossed runway 03. Our aircraft was airborne when the helicopter moved right into our departure path. My first officer (PF) actually pushed the nose down to plan on flying under the helicopter, initially. When the copter moved clear of the runway we continued climbing. For a few seconds we were on a direct collision course and accelerating. Besides the obvious mistake made by the helicopter pilots (similar to crossing a street west/O looking around first), I think the tower controller was the instigator in that he unnecessarily reinstructed the helicopter who was already in the desired location. This is the third ASRS report that I have sent in which I experienced a near miss with a helicopter on takeoff and landing at dca. The tower controllers at dca are working so hard to maintain the maximum traffic flow that it seems the helicopter's are forgotten.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AS MDT BECAME AIRBORNE THE FLT CREW SAW A HELICOPTER AT END OF RWY CROSSING THE WY IN INITIAL CLIMB.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 03 AT DCA. TWR POINTED OUR HELI, STATIONARY, TO N OF DEP END OF 03 (ON RUNUP PAD FOR RWY 21). TWR THEN INSTRUCTED HELI TO REMAIN NW OF RWY 03 (WHERE HE ALREADY WAS). HELI PLT MISINTERPRETED INSTRUCTION AND CLBED VERT TO ABOUT 50' AND TURNED TO A SE HDG AND CROSSED RWY 03. OUR ACFT WAS AIRBORNE WHEN THE HELI MOVED RIGHT INTO OUR DEP PATH. MY F/O (PF) ACTUALLY PUSHED THE NOSE DOWN TO PLAN ON FLYING UNDER THE HELI, INITIALLY. WHEN THE COPTER MOVED CLR OF THE RWY WE CONTINUED CLBING. FOR A FEW SECS WE WERE ON A DIRECT COLLISION COURSE AND ACCELERATING. BESIDES THE OBVIOUS MISTAKE MADE BY THE HELI PLTS (SIMILAR TO XING A STREET W/O LOOKING AROUND FIRST), I THINK THE TWR CTLR WAS THE INSTIGATOR IN THAT HE UNNECESSARILY REINSTRUCTED THE HELI WHO WAS ALREADY IN THE DESIRED LOCATION. THIS IS THE THIRD ASRS RPT THAT I HAVE SENT IN WHICH I EXPERIENCED A NEAR MISS WITH A HELI ON TKOF AND LNDG AT DCA. THE TWR CTLRS AT DCA ARE WORKING SO HARD TO MAINTAIN THE MAX TFC FLOW THAT IT SEEMS THE HELI'S ARE FORGOTTEN.

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.