Propeller strike in takeoff procedure in small aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	241131
Time
Date	199305
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mri
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 2
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mri
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 16000
ASRS Report	241131
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Started takeoff roll runway 24 full power confirmed. At 70 mph, airplane was starting to fly so I pulled the yoke to rotate with my left hand (anticipating becoming airborne immediately) and with my right hand pushed the gear unlock button and slid the landing gear handle out of the locked position. My first impression that we were not actually flying was a slight dip downward of the nose of the aircraft. I reacted by 'snatching' the yoke backward with my left hand. We then became airborne, and I completed the gear retraction process. Everything seemed normal on climb out except the RPM was indicating about 200 RPM low. Decided to return for precautionary landing. Did not declare emergency or request priority handling or equipment (standing by). Landing and taxi to tiedown were uneventful. Inspection after shutdown revealed propeller tip damage to outer 4 inches of each blade and presumed associated internal engine stress damage. Prevention: the hand-operated landing gear is difficult to operate (retract) if significant airload builds up after takeoff, i.e. 90 mph. So, there is a natural tendency to retract the gear prior to 80 mph while the handle is still easy to operate. I need to make a little more certain of being truly airborne and 'positive rate of climb' prior to unlocking and retracting the landing gear.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PROP STRIKE IN TKOF PROC IN SMA.

Narrative: STARTED TKOF ROLL RWY 24 FULL PWR CONFIRMED. AT 70 MPH, AIRPLANE WAS STARTING TO FLY SO I PULLED THE YOKE TO ROTATE WITH MY L HAND (ANTICIPATING BECOMING AIRBORNE IMMEDIATELY) AND WITH MY R HAND PUSHED THE GEAR UNLOCK BUTTON AND SLID THE LNDG GEAR HANDLE OUT OF THE LOCKED POS. MY FIRST IMPRESSION THAT WE WERE NOT ACTUALLY FLYING WAS A SLIGHT DIP DOWNWARD OF THE NOSE OF THE ACFT. I REACTED BY 'SNATCHING' THE YOKE BACKWARD WITH MY L HAND. WE THEN BECAME AIRBORNE, AND I COMPLETED THE GEAR RETRACTION PROCESS. EVERYTHING SEEMED NORMAL ON CLBOUT EXCEPT THE RPM WAS INDICATING ABOUT 200 RPM LOW. DECIDED TO RETURN FOR PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. DID NOT DECLARE EMER OR REQUEST PRIORITY HANDLING OR EQUIP (STANDING BY). LNDG AND TAXI TO TIEDOWN WERE UNEVENTFUL. INSPECTION AFTER SHUTDOWN REVEALED PROP TIP DAMAGE TO OUTER 4 INCHES OF EACH BLADE AND PRESUMED ASSOCIATED INTERNAL ENG STRESS DAMAGE. PREVENTION: THE HAND-OPERATED LNDG GEAR IS DIFFICULT TO OPERATE (RETRACT) IF SIGNIFICANT AIRLOAD BUILDS UP AFTER TKOF, I.E. 90 MPH. SO, THERE IS A NATURAL TENDENCY TO RETRACT THE GEAR PRIOR TO 80 MPH WHILE THE HANDLE IS STILL EASY TO OPERATE. I NEED TO MAKE A LITTLE MORE CERTAIN OF BEING TRULY AIRBORNE AND 'POSITIVE RATE OF CLB' PRIOR TO UNLOCKING AND RETRACTING THE LNDG GEAR.

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.