Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Flight Crew Private; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30; Flight Crew Total 3000; Flight Crew Type 250
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
Conflict NMAC
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Airport
I was departing from runway 14 after visually scanning the airspace and announcing over Unicom my intentions to depart on runway 14. Just as I was clearing the tree line at approximately 50 ft AGL I noticed a low flying helicopter approaching at approximately 100 kts ground speed at a 100 ft above tree tops level going from right to left and on a direct collision course with me.I lowered the nose to below the horizon and below the tree line to duck below the helicopter. Once the helicopter passed I continued my climb without incident. After the near miss I called the helicopter on Unicom with no response. I decided to follow the helicopter to see if I could have a talk with the pilot after he/she landed.The [helicopter] continued at low level for a few miles then climbed to 1000 ft AGL to clear into class D airspace. The only way I could track the [helicopter] from 1;500 feet and a mile in trail was with TIS (Traffic Information Service). When the [helicopter] did not land at the class D airport I turned around and continued on my way without being able to discuss the situation with the [helicopter] pilot. I am not sure what I could have done to prevent this near miss. I know the [helicopter] pilot was joyriding at treetop level and not paying attention to his chart. Following the [helicopter] pilot made me feel good but probably was not the smartest thing to do. Being hyper focused on following a black aircraft that was very close to the ground had my attention focused on the [helicopter] and not as focused on everything else around me. Two wrongs don't make a right. Glad to be alive. Hope the [helicopter] pilot does not kill someone with his/her treetop joy riding.
Helicopter encroached on airport airspace without being in contact with UNICOM frequency. Reporter of departing aircraft had near miss with encroaching airplane.