Narrative:

Cleared to taxi to runway 25L at taxiway D (clearance). Contacted ground on 133.0 MHZ. I was cleared to taxi to runway 25L at taxiway D. I responded with readback. I started to exit the ramp from my tiedown and observed a robinson R22 immediately depart from my right to left. This helicopter was holding for departure about 300 ft to the east of my tiedown, on the parallel roadway adjacent to the runway 25L taxiway (taxiway F). Upon seeing the helicopter lift off and climb forward toward me, I immediately braked hard and stopped before entering the roadway or taxiway. At no time did the ground or clearance controller advise me of a departing helicopter hazard. If I didn't take it upon myself to immediately stop taxiing, we would have collided. Nothing was said to me about this incident, as though no one in the tower noticed the incident. The helicopter was operated by a training FBO. I suspect that the helicopter was cleared to take off and the pilot didn't take the time to check for ground conflicts ahead. I also speculate that the tower controller for runway 25L and south helicopter departures wasn't talking with ground controllers. This airport has a very high runway incursion rate, and maybe this is some of the reason.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A TAXIING PA32 HAD TO BRAKE HARD TO AVOID A DEPARTING HELI AT LGB.

Narrative: CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 25L AT TXWY D (CLRNC). CONTACTED GND ON 133.0 MHZ. I WAS CLRED TO TAXI TO RWY 25L AT TXWY D. I RESPONDED WITH READBACK. I STARTED TO EXIT THE RAMP FROM MY TIEDOWN AND OBSERVED A ROBINSON R22 IMMEDIATELY DEPART FROM MY R TO L. THIS HELI WAS HOLDING FOR DEP ABOUT 300 FT TO THE E OF MY TIEDOWN, ON THE PARALLEL ROADWAY ADJACENT TO THE RWY 25L TXWY (TXWY F). UPON SEEING THE HELI LIFT OFF AND CLB FORWARD TOWARD ME, I IMMEDIATELY BRAKED HARD AND STOPPED BEFORE ENTERING THE ROADWAY OR TXWY. AT NO TIME DID THE GND OR CLRNC CTLR ADVISE ME OF A DEPARTING HELI HAZARD. IF I DIDN'T TAKE IT UPON MYSELF TO IMMEDIATELY STOP TAXIING, WE WOULD HAVE COLLIDED. NOTHING WAS SAID TO ME ABOUT THIS INCIDENT, AS THOUGH NO ONE IN THE TWR NOTICED THE INCIDENT. THE HELI WAS OPERATED BY A TRAINING FBO. I SUSPECT THAT THE HELI WAS CLRED TO TAKE OFF AND THE PLT DIDN'T TAKE THE TIME TO CHK FOR GND CONFLICTS AHEAD. I ALSO SPECULATE THAT THE TWR CTLR FOR RWY 25L AND S HELI DEPS WASN'T TALKING WITH GND CTLRS. THIS ARPT HAS A VERY HIGH RWY INCURSION RATE, AND MAYBE THIS IS SOME OF THE REASON.

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.