C172 CFI reports encounter with helicopter vortices during takeoff from a non-towered airport.

Attributes
ACN	804547
Time
Date	200809
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 50
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 355 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	804547
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 30
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were holding short and called takeoff from runway xx. I noticed; as we were rolling onto the runway; a helicopter approaching short final. We stopped the aircraft. He finally mentioned short final and he said he would stay out of our way. We continued to take off (soft field simulated) and the helicopter; unexpectedly; continued towards the ramp over the taxiway; descending. When our C172 left the ground; the helicopter vortices from the turbine helicopter pulled us towards it. (Our low airspeed added to our susceptibility.) the closest we came was 30 ft before putting the nose down and applying full left rudder to get out. We departed without incident; but the lesson to be had is: do not take off parallel to a landing helicopter. Either we should have aborted takeoff when we realized he was continuing; or the helicopter should have remained in his initial position (as we expected to happen).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 CFI REPORTS ENCOUNTER WITH HELICOPTER VORTICES DURING TKOF FROM A NON-TOWERED ARPT.

Narrative: WE WERE HOLDING SHORT AND CALLED TKOF FROM RWY XX. I NOTICED; AS WE WERE ROLLING ONTO THE RWY; A HELI APCHING SHORT FINAL. WE STOPPED THE ACFT. HE FINALLY MENTIONED SHORT FINAL AND HE SAID HE WOULD STAY OUT OF OUR WAY. WE CONTINUED TO TAKE OFF (SOFT FIELD SIMULATED) AND THE HELI; UNEXPECTEDLY; CONTINUED TOWARDS THE RAMP OVER THE TXWY; DSNDING. WHEN OUR C172 LEFT THE GND; THE HELI VORTICES FROM THE TURBINE HELI PULLED US TOWARDS IT. (OUR LOW AIRSPD ADDED TO OUR SUSCEPTIBILITY.) THE CLOSEST WE CAME WAS 30 FT BEFORE PUTTING THE NOSE DOWN AND APPLYING FULL L RUDDER TO GET OUT. WE DEPARTED WITHOUT INCIDENT; BUT THE LESSON TO BE HAD IS: DO NOT TAKE OFF PARALLEL TO A LNDG HELI. EITHER WE SHOULD HAVE ABORTED TKOF WHEN WE REALIZED HE WAS CONTINUING; OR THE HELI SHOULD HAVE REMAINED IN HIS INITIAL POS (AS WE EXPECTED TO HAPPEN).

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.