Commuter small transport propeller strike on takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	80660
Time
Date	198801
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : anc
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	80660
Person 2
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We taxied from our hangar to the terminal, loaded passenger and baggage, taxied out to runway 32 for departure. The copilot was assigned the takeoff. Upon rotation the left wing lowered and the copilot corrected with aileron. We continued the flight with no indications of a problem. Upon stopping engines at king salmon, ak, we noticed that left propeller's tips were bent back. I believe the gear handle was in the up position during taxi out for departure. The handle has no detent to hold it in position. It is also located in a great spot for one's foot to hit when getting out of the pilot's seat. This is what must have happened to me. There are no bells, whistles or lights to warn the crew of the gear handle being in disagreement with the position of the gear. Suggest the gear handle be moved to a safer location, out of the way of feet getting into and out of the pilot's seat. If this doesn't work, at least make a locking device to hold the gear handle down or up, depending upon what is selected. We have such a device in mind for our light transport. A warning light would also be nice. Our taxi checklist is being revised to include a gear down check. The only gear down check is #4 on the originating checklist. This gear problem will be solved at our company but will be in the waiting for other light transport operators until the system is revised.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER SMT PROPELLER STRIKE ON TKOF.

Narrative: WE TAXIED FROM OUR HANGAR TO THE TERMINAL, LOADED PAX AND BAGGAGE, TAXIED OUT TO RWY 32 FOR DEP. THE COPLT WAS ASSIGNED THE TKOF. UPON ROTATION THE LEFT WING LOWERED AND THE COPLT CORRECTED WITH AILERON. WE CONTINUED THE FLT WITH NO INDICATIONS OF A PROB. UPON STOPPING ENGS AT KING SALMON, AK, WE NOTICED THAT LEFT PROP'S TIPS WERE BENT BACK. I BELIEVE THE GEAR HANDLE WAS IN THE UP POS DURING TAXI OUT FOR DEP. THE HANDLE HAS NO DETENT TO HOLD IT IN POS. IT IS ALSO LOCATED IN A GREAT SPOT FOR ONE'S FOOT TO HIT WHEN GETTING OUT OF THE PLT'S SEAT. THIS IS WHAT MUST HAVE HAPPENED TO ME. THERE ARE NO BELLS, WHISTLES OR LIGHTS TO WARN THE CREW OF THE GEAR HANDLE BEING IN DISAGREEMENT WITH THE POS OF THE GEAR. SUGGEST THE GEAR HANDLE BE MOVED TO A SAFER LOCATION, OUT OF THE WAY OF FEET GETTING INTO AND OUT OF THE PLT'S SEAT. IF THIS DOESN'T WORK, AT LEAST MAKE A LOCKING DEVICE TO HOLD THE GEAR HANDLE DOWN OR UP, DEPENDING UPON WHAT IS SELECTED. WE HAVE SUCH A DEVICE IN MIND FOR OUR LTT. A WARNING LIGHT WOULD ALSO BE NICE. OUR TAXI CHKLIST IS BEING REVISED TO INCLUDE A GEAR DOWN CHK. THE ONLY GEAR DOWN CHK IS #4 ON THE ORIGINATING CHKLIST. THIS GEAR PROB WILL BE SOLVED AT OUR COMPANY BUT WILL BE IN THE WAITING FOR OTHER LTT OPERATORS UNTIL THE SYS IS REVISED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.