Narrative:

Prior to departure we were facing to the east tower pointed out commuter Y two mi to the east we could see. Tower said Y was landing on runway 21. Tower cleared us for departure to the east to join route one and fly northeast up the anacostia river. Just after takeoff and passing east of runway 18-36 tower told us to pass behind aircraft Y. Since Y was heading west on a base to 21 and we were heading east, this was confusing because how could we position ourselves behind Y. I started a left turn figuring Y was going to turn left on final, but it appeared he was turning right to get a better line up for 21. So I started to turn right to go behind him to the south. Aircraft Y then turned left on final, and time had run out. He passed over the top of us or just behind us. I had not climbed because of the convergence. As a helicopter pilot, I had complied with the far's and stayed clear of fixed wing traffic, but not by much. Tower in retrospect should have departed us to the north toward memorial bridge or held us until aircraft Y was on the ground or departure us heading 120 degree to clear runway 21 as soon as possible. In the future, I will not accept a takeoff clearance at dca to the east if there is traffic coming in from the east and so close to the airport. Helicopters need a heliport at rfk stadium to keep a clear of fixed wing traffic at dca.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BETWEEN DEPARTING COPTER AND LANDING COMMUTER.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DEP WE WERE FACING TO THE E TWR POINTED OUT COMMUTER Y TWO MI TO THE E WE COULD SEE. TWR SAID Y WAS LANDING ON RWY 21. TWR CLRED US FOR DEP TO THE E TO JOIN ROUTE ONE AND FLY NE UP THE ANACOSTIA RIVER. JUST AFTER TKOF AND PASSING E OF RWY 18-36 TWR TOLD US TO PASS BEHIND ACFT Y. SINCE Y WAS HEADING W ON A BASE TO 21 AND WE WERE HEADING E, THIS WAS CONFUSING BECAUSE HOW COULD WE POSITION OURSELVES BEHIND Y. I STARTED A LEFT TURN FIGURING Y WAS GOING TO TURN LEFT ON FINAL, BUT IT APPEARED HE WAS TURNING RIGHT TO GET A BETTER LINE UP FOR 21. SO I STARTED TO TURN RIGHT TO GO BEHIND HIM TO THE S. ACFT Y THEN TURNED LEFT ON FINAL, AND TIME HAD RUN OUT. HE PASSED OVER THE TOP OF US OR JUST BEHIND US. I HAD NOT CLBED BECAUSE OF THE CONVERGENCE. AS A HELI PLT, I HAD COMPLIED WITH THE FAR'S AND STAYED CLEAR OF FIXED WING TFC, BUT NOT BY MUCH. TWR IN RETROSPECT SHOULD HAVE DEPARTED US TO THE N TOWARD MEMORIAL BRIDGE OR HELD US UNTIL ACFT Y WAS ON THE GND OR DEP US HEADING 120 DEG TO CLEAR RWY 21 AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL NOT ACCEPT A TKOF CLRNC AT DCA TO THE E IF THERE IS TFC COMING IN FROM THE E AND SO CLOSE TO THE ARPT. HELIS NEED A HELIPORT AT RFK STADIUM TO KEEP A CLEAR OF FIXED WING TFC AT DCA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.