A B737 had an near midair collision with a helicopter while departing aus.

Attributes
ACN	596479
Time
Date	200310
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aus.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 840
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : aus.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : aus.tower
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 27 flight time type : 9400
ASRS Report	596479
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Prior to takeoff, aus tower advised us that a helicopter was approaching the field from the east and would stay east of the airport boundary. We saw the helicopter approaching as we began our takeoff roll. As we broke ground, I noticed the TCASII symbol for the helicopter turn yellow from white. The helicopter penetrated the airport boundary and started a steep turn-back toward the east. I estimated the helicopter to be within 500 ft of the runway centerline and less than 200 ft above us. I took the control of the aircraft and turned left (west) to avoid the helicopter.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 HAD AN NMAC WITH A HELI WHILE DEPARTING AUS.

Narrative: PRIOR TO TKOF, AUS TWR ADVISED US THAT A HELI WAS APCHING THE FIELD FROM THE E AND WOULD STAY E OF THE ARPT BOUNDARY. WE SAW THE HELI APCHING AS WE BEGAN OUR TKOF ROLL. AS WE BROKE GND, I NOTICED THE TCASII SYMBOL FOR THE HELI TURN YELLOW FROM WHITE. THE HELI PENETRATED THE ARPT BOUNDARY AND STARTED A STEEP TURN-BACK TOWARD THE E. I ESTIMATED THE HELI TO BE WITHIN 500 FT OF THE RWY CTRLINE AND LESS THAN 200 FT ABOVE US. I TOOK THE CTL OF THE ACFT AND TURNED L (W) TO AVOID THE HELI.

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.