Commuter aircraft had near midair collision with a helicopter at tist.

Attributes
ACN	467520
Time
Date	200003
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tist.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : tist.tower
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 30000 flight time type : 25000
ASRS Report	467520
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	vertical : 50
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : tist.airport

Narrative:

On takeoff roll, a helicopter crossed the active runway. I was already airborne and about 200 ft and had to dive down underneath the helicopter. I suggest a real close look at operation at this airport, specifically helicopter and seaplane operations who are operating in the takeoff path of the fixed wing aircraft using the runway. Geographically this is a difficult airport to control and controllers perhaps are burdened with too much in too little airspace. Maybe the helicopter operations should be moved to an off airport location or a route established so they never cross the takeoff path unless at low altitude and away from takeoff and landing paths. The other suggestion I have is for the airport to provide IFR separation for all traffic during the night operations. St thomas tower has had its share of accidents due to black hole effects and we don't need another one. This is an airport that needs to have total discipline from both controllers and pilots to run safe.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ACFT HAD NMAC WITH A HELI AT TIST.

Narrative: ON TKOF ROLL, A HELI CROSSED THE ACTIVE RWY. I WAS ALREADY AIRBORNE AND ABOUT 200 FT AND HAD TO DIVE DOWN UNDERNEATH THE HELI. I SUGGEST A REAL CLOSE LOOK AT OP AT THIS ARPT, SPECIFICALLY HELI AND SEAPLANE OPS WHO ARE OPERATING IN THE TKOF PATH OF THE FIXED WING ACFT USING THE RWY. GEOGRAPHICALLY THIS IS A DIFFICULT ARPT TO CTL AND CTLRS PERHAPS ARE BURDENED WITH TOO MUCH IN TOO LITTLE AIRSPACE. MAYBE THE HELI OPS SHOULD BE MOVED TO AN OFF ARPT LOCATION OR A RTE ESTABLISHED SO THEY NEVER CROSS THE TKOF PATH UNLESS AT LOW ALT AND AWAY FROM TKOF AND LNDG PATHS. THE OTHER SUGGESTION I HAVE IS FOR THE ARPT TO PROVIDE IFR SEPARATION FOR ALL TFC DURING THE NIGHT OPS. ST THOMAS TWR HAS HAD ITS SHARE OF ACCIDENTS DUE TO BLACK HOLE EFFECTS AND WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER ONE. THIS IS AN ARPT THAT NEEDS TO HAVE TOTAL DISCIPLINE FROM BOTH CTLRS AND PLTS TO RUN SAFE.

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.