Narrative:

Shortly after liftoff; estimated 25 ft above runway; I attempted to raise the gear using the manual gear lever which is used for this type. As I did this; my kneeboard inadvertently fell and became wedged in the seat with my hand below it. The gear started to fall back down and I instinctively lowered the nose but too far. As I was somewhat distraction; I looked up and noticed the nose was lowered too far and the runway was approaching. I pulled up and continued the climb. I realized a moment later that I thought I felt a slight bump and thought there might have been an impact. I asked my wife whether she heard something (we both had noise canceling headsets on) and she said she thought she had. The tower told me to contact departure; but I told them we wanted to return to the field as a precaution. We were told to turn right and enter downwind and asked whether we required special assistance. Still not being sure there was an impact and with the aircraft running smooth; I advised negative. We landed without incident and taxied to the FBO where we discovered we had struck the propeller; the step to the aircraft; and some antennas. My decision to continue the climb out was the only option since by the time I realized something may have happened; it was too late to lower the gear and return to the runway. I believe in the future I will be more cognizant of distrs during climb out and also wait until higher in altitude until raising the gear when obstacle clearance is not a factor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF M20 IS DISTR BY LOOSE KNEEBOARD BLOCKING ACCESS TO THE MANUAL RETRACTION LNDG GEAR LEVER. STRIKES GND WITH PROP; BOARDING STAIR AND LOWER ANTENNAS PRIOR TO REESTABLISHING CLB.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF; ESTIMATED 25 FT ABOVE RWY; I ATTEMPTED TO RAISE THE GEAR USING THE MANUAL GEAR LEVER WHICH IS USED FOR THIS TYPE. AS I DID THIS; MY KNEEBOARD INADVERTENTLY FELL AND BECAME WEDGED IN THE SEAT WITH MY HAND BELOW IT. THE GEAR STARTED TO FALL BACK DOWN AND I INSTINCTIVELY LOWERED THE NOSE BUT TOO FAR. AS I WAS SOMEWHAT DISTR; I LOOKED UP AND NOTICED THE NOSE WAS LOWERED TOO FAR AND THE RWY WAS APCHING. I PULLED UP AND CONTINUED THE CLB. I REALIZED A MOMENT LATER THAT I THOUGHT I FELT A SLIGHT BUMP AND THOUGHT THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN IMPACT. I ASKED MY WIFE WHETHER SHE HEARD SOMETHING (WE BOTH HAD NOISE CANCELING HEADSETS ON) AND SHE SAID SHE THOUGHT SHE HAD. THE TWR TOLD ME TO CONTACT DEP; BUT I TOLD THEM WE WANTED TO RETURN TO THE FIELD AS A PRECAUTION. WE WERE TOLD TO TURN R AND ENTER DOWNWIND AND ASKED WHETHER WE REQUIRED SPECIAL ASSISTANCE. STILL NOT BEING SURE THERE WAS AN IMPACT AND WITH THE ACFT RUNNING SMOOTH; I ADVISED NEGATIVE. WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND TAXIED TO THE FBO WHERE WE DISCOVERED WE HAD STRUCK THE PROP; THE STEP TO THE ACFT; AND SOME ANTENNAS. MY DECISION TO CONTINUE THE CLBOUT WAS THE ONLY OPTION SINCE BY THE TIME I REALIZED SOMETHING MAY HAVE HAPPENED; IT WAS TOO LATE TO LOWER THE GEAR AND RETURN TO THE RWY. I BELIEVE IN THE FUTURE I WILL BE MORE COGNIZANT OF DISTRS DURING CLBOUT AND ALSO WAIT UNTIL HIGHER IN ALT UNTIL RAISING THE GEAR WHEN OBSTACLE CLRNC IS NOT A FACTOR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.