During takeoff, helicopter tail rotor struck a pickup truck.

Attributes
ACN	233859
Time
Date	199302
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : la53
State Reference	LA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 10
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 145 flight time total : 8384 flight time type : 491
ASRS Report	233859
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I landed and shut down to load cargo. The helper drove the company pickup to the aircraft after shutdown. While the helper refueled the aircraft, I loaded the cargo. After refueling, I instructed the helper to stand clear. I started the aircraft. I believed I had enough clearance to hover out. I picked it up to a hover and moved up and away from the truck. I executed a right pedal turn and tail rotor grazed the top of the truck. I executed a left pedal turn and set back down on the loading pad. No excuse. I was in a hurry. WX was 15 mi away and I wanted to get out before it arrived. My customer had things to do and I wanted to get to them and get it done before the WX became a factor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING TKOF, HELI TAIL ROTOR STRUCK A PICKUP TRUCK.

Narrative: I LANDED AND SHUT DOWN TO LOAD CARGO. THE HELPER DROVE THE COMPANY PICKUP TO THE ACFT AFTER SHUTDOWN. WHILE THE HELPER REFUELED THE ACFT, I LOADED THE CARGO. AFTER REFUELING, I INSTRUCTED THE HELPER TO STAND CLR. I STARTED THE ACFT. I BELIEVED I HAD ENOUGH CLRNC TO HOVER OUT. I PICKED IT UP TO A HOVER AND MOVED UP AND AWAY FROM THE TRUCK. I EXECUTED A R PEDAL TURN AND TAIL ROTOR GRAZED THE TOP OF THE TRUCK. I EXECUTED A L PEDAL TURN AND SET BACK DOWN ON THE LOADING PAD. NO EXCUSE. I WAS IN A HURRY. WX WAS 15 MI AWAY AND I WANTED TO GET OUT BEFORE IT ARRIVED. MY CUSTOMER HAD THINGS TO DO AND I WANTED TO GET TO THEM AND GET IT DONE BEFORE THE WX BECAME A FACTOR.

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.