Narrative:

After takeoff I was unable to get the landing gear to lock in the up position. (This aircraft has a manual extension/retraction system). While preoccupied with this situation the aircraft settled back down toward the runway striking the propeller against the pavement. I had about 40 to 50 pounds of pressure on the handle in an attempt to secure it into it's socket on the floor when it happened. Perhaps the nose wheel turn limits had been exceeded when the aircraft was towed by line service but I don't know for sure, it seemed to taxi ok. After the propeller strike I reduced power and flew along the runway while lowering the gear and then landed and taxied back to the FBO. On shutdown I noticed that the propeller tips were curled. This was an extreme embarassment, especially in view of the fact that I had just completed that day an intensive 3-DAY recurrent training program for the turbine aircraft that I fly professionally. I would say that a relative degree of complacency was a factor, I was relaxed at the end of day, departing toward home in beautiful VFR WX. I personally have resolved that in that type of aircraft, that I will never again attempt to raise the gear until reaching a safe altitude of at least several hundred ft. The experience underscores in my mind the necessity of being alert at all times, no matter how good things seem. Ps. I reported the matter to the local FSDO who informed me that, since the damage was minor, that the matter would not be handled as an accident, but as an occurrence, or incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT ATTEMPTING MANUAL GEAR RETRACTION STRIKES PROP IN RWY.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF I WAS UNABLE TO GET THE LNDG GEAR TO LOCK IN THE UP POS. (THIS ACFT HAS A MANUAL EXTENSION/RETRACTION SYS). WHILE PREOCCUPIED WITH THIS SITUATION THE ACFT SETTLED BACK DOWN TOWARD THE RWY STRIKING THE PROP AGAINST THE PAVEMENT. I HAD ABOUT 40 TO 50 LBS OF PRESSURE ON THE HANDLE IN AN ATTEMPT TO SECURE IT INTO IT'S SOCKET ON THE FLOOR WHEN IT HAPPENED. PERHAPS THE NOSE WHEEL TURN LIMITS HAD BEEN EXCEEDED WHEN THE ACFT WAS TOWED BY LINE SVC BUT I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE, IT SEEMED TO TAXI OK. AFTER THE PROP STRIKE I REDUCED PWR AND FLEW ALONG THE RWY WHILE LOWERING THE GEAR AND THEN LANDED AND TAXIED BACK TO THE FBO. ON SHUTDOWN I NOTICED THAT THE PROP TIPS WERE CURLED. THIS WAS AN EXTREME EMBARASSMENT, ESPECIALLY IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT I HAD JUST COMPLETED THAT DAY AN INTENSIVE 3-DAY RECURRENT TRNING PROGRAM FOR THE TURBINE ACFT THAT I FLY PROFESSIONALLY. I WOULD SAY THAT A RELATIVE DEG OF COMPLACENCY WAS A FACTOR, I WAS RELAXED AT THE END OF DAY, DEPARTING TOWARD HOME IN BEAUTIFUL VFR WX. I PERSONALLY HAVE RESOLVED THAT IN THAT TYPE OF ACFT, THAT I WILL NEVER AGAIN ATTEMPT TO RAISE THE GEAR UNTIL REACHING A SAFE ALT OF AT LEAST SEVERAL HUNDRED FT. THE EXPERIENCE UNDERSCORES IN MY MIND THE NECESSITY OF BEING ALERT AT ALL TIMES, NO MATTER HOW GOOD THINGS SEEM. PS. I RPTED THE MATTER TO THE LCL FSDO WHO INFORMED ME THAT, SINCE THE DAMAGE WAS MINOR, THAT THE MATTER WOULD NOT BE HANDLED AS AN ACCIDENT, BUT AS AN OCCURRENCE, OR 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.