C172 pilot collided with helicopter departing rhv.

Attributes
ACN	436843
Time
Date	199905
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rhv.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : rhv.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Route In Use	departure : vfr
Flight Plan	VFR None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : rhv.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Robinson R22
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7 flight time total : 124 flight time type : 123
ASRS Report	436843
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

At reid hillview airport, I received clearance to cross runway 31R and takeoff on runway 31L immediately. Climb was uneventful until 600 ft MSL when a helicopter (robinson R22) came into view from above and in front of my aircraft. The nose of my airplane was underneath the right skid, climbing into it. I immediately applied forward pressure on the yoke with no bank and passed underneath the helicopter. I felt no impact, even though inspection of both aircraft on the ground revealed that the propeller had struck the skid. Both aircraft landed uneventfully. Either before or after I was cleared for takeoff there was a transmission (to the tower) by the helicopter that he was at the 'hay patch' and 'on the go.' I should have paid more attention to this, and tried to visualize where the helicopter started from and where he was going. I didn't even try looking for him initially, I should have. Upon takeoff and climb, I should have radioed the tower that I didn't have the helicopter in sight. During the climb, I was anticipating the tower to instruct me to change to san jose international tower frequency, to start my 'bay tour.' this was a small distraction. I drifted left of runway heading. I should have maintained a course of 310 degrees. I don't know if the helicopter drifted right as he should have been flying parallel to runway 31L to the left of the runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 PLT COLLIDED WITH HELI DEPARTING RHV.

Narrative: AT REID HILLVIEW ARPT, I RECEIVED CLRNC TO CROSS RWY 31R AND TKOF ON RWY 31L IMMEDIATELY. CLB WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL 600 FT MSL WHEN A HELI (ROBINSON R22) CAME INTO VIEW FROM ABOVE AND IN FRONT OF MY ACFT. THE NOSE OF MY AIRPLANE WAS UNDERNEATH THE R SKID, CLBING INTO IT. I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED FORWARD PRESSURE ON THE YOKE WITH NO BANK AND PASSED UNDERNEATH THE HELI. I FELT NO IMPACT, EVEN THOUGH INSPECTION OF BOTH ACFT ON THE GND REVEALED THAT THE PROP HAD STRUCK THE SKID. BOTH ACFT LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER I WAS CLRED FOR TKOF THERE WAS A XMISSION (TO THE TWR) BY THE HELI THAT HE WAS AT THE 'HAY PATCH' AND 'ON THE GO.' I SHOULD HAVE PAID MORE ATTN TO THIS, AND TRIED TO VISUALIZE WHERE THE HELI STARTED FROM AND WHERE HE WAS GOING. I DIDN'T EVEN TRY LOOKING FOR HIM INITIALLY, I SHOULD HAVE. UPON TKOF AND CLB, I SHOULD HAVE RADIOED THE TWR THAT I DIDN'T HAVE THE HELI IN SIGHT. DURING THE CLB, I WAS ANTICIPATING THE TWR TO INSTRUCT ME TO CHANGE TO SAN JOSE INTL TWR FREQ, TO START MY 'BAY TOUR.' THIS WAS A SMALL DISTR. I DRIFTED L OF RWY HEADING. I SHOULD HAVE MAINTAINED A COURSE OF 310 DEGS. I DON'T KNOW IF THE HELI DRIFTED R AS HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN FLYING PARALLEL TO RWY 31L TO THE L OF THE RWY.

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.