Lear 35 flight crew given takeoff clearance while helicopter departed over runway.

Attributes
ACN	438408
Time
Date	199905
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hou.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Learjet 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : hou.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Bell Helicopter 222
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 10280 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	438408
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical non adherence : required legal separation
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 600
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Controller cleared learjet for takeoff. We started roll and he advised a helicopter was lifting off on pad in front of us. Helicopter was over runway then turned away when he saw us. Controller should not have cleared both of us for departure.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LEAR 35 FLC GIVEN TKOF CLRNC WHILE HELI DEPARTED OVER RWY.

Narrative: CTLR CLRED LEARJET FOR TKOF. WE STARTED ROLL AND HE ADVISED A HELI WAS LIFTING OFF ON PAD IN FRONT OF US. HELI WAS OVER RWY THEN TURNED AWAY WHEN HE SAW US. CTLR SHOULD NOT HAVE CLRED BOTH OF US FOR DEP.

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.