Narrative:

I did not visualize the airport (N07) until nearly over it, and then I was prompted to establish a left, rather then right, downwind for landing at 01 (the usual pattern is right downwind to 01 due to higher topography to the west). South westerly winds were approximately 15 to 20 at 290 degree. No other aircraft were in the traffic pattern at the time; nonetheless, due to the topography on the west side of the field, I was obligated to use a pattern altitude higher then the tpa (ie 1200' MSL), and in addition to remain close to the airport for purposes of continued visualization. What followed was an approach which was too high, too tight, and too fast despite pulling power to idle and landing flaps to 40 degree about 1/4 mi out on final. Transition over the runway was made with insufficient back pressure, although alignment and crosswind correction were adequate. As a result, the nose gear hit forceably initially upon landing, resulting in 3 bounces; and a very short, sharp noise occurred at the instant of the second bounce, which in retrospect corresponded to the propeller strike. Taxied normally to the ramp. Upon later inspection of the propeller, 2 approximately 1/2' nicks at ends of each blade were seen. The nosecone was not damaged. Otherwise, the aircraft did not appear damaged. I feel that fatigue and subsequent pilot error were the main contributing factors to this incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TIRED LOW TIME SMA PLT NICKS PROPELLER ON LNDG INCIDENT WITH A STRONG CROSSWIND AND AN UNSTABILIZED APCH.

Narrative: I DID NOT VISUALIZE THE ARPT (N07) UNTIL NEARLY OVER IT, AND THEN I WAS PROMPTED TO ESTABLISH A LEFT, RATHER THEN RIGHT, DOWNWIND FOR LNDG AT 01 (THE USUAL PATTERN IS RIGHT DOWNWIND TO 01 DUE TO HIGHER TOPOGRAPHY TO THE W). S WESTERLY WINDS WERE APPROX 15 TO 20 AT 290 DEG. NO OTHER ACFT WERE IN THE TFC PATTERN AT THE TIME; NONETHELESS, DUE TO THE TOPOGRAPHY ON THE W SIDE OF THE FIELD, I WAS OBLIGATED TO USE A PATTERN ALT HIGHER THEN THE TPA (IE 1200' MSL), AND IN ADDITION TO REMAIN CLOSE TO THE ARPT FOR PURPOSES OF CONTINUED VISUALIZATION. WHAT FOLLOWED WAS AN APCH WHICH WAS TOO HIGH, TOO TIGHT, AND TOO FAST DESPITE PULLING PWR TO IDLE AND LNDG FLAPS TO 40 DEG ABOUT 1/4 MI OUT ON FINAL. TRANSITION OVER THE RWY WAS MADE WITH INSUFFICIENT BACK PRESSURE, ALTHOUGH ALIGNMENT AND XWIND CORRECTION WERE ADEQUATE. AS A RESULT, THE NOSE GEAR HIT FORCEABLY INITIALLY UPON LNDG, RESULTING IN 3 BOUNCES; AND A VERY SHORT, SHARP NOISE OCCURRED AT THE INSTANT OF THE SECOND BOUNCE, WHICH IN RETROSPECT CORRESPONDED TO THE PROP STRIKE. TAXIED NORMALLY TO THE RAMP. UPON LATER INSPECTION OF THE PROP, 2 APPROX 1/2' NICKS AT ENDS OF EACH BLADE WERE SEEN. THE NOSECONE WAS NOT DAMAGED. OTHERWISE, THE ACFT DID NOT APPEAR DAMAGED. I FEEL THAT FATIGUE AND SUBSEQUENT PLT ERROR WERE THE MAIN CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS INCIDENT.

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.