What happened
The pilot reported that it required three attempts to extend the landing gear before receiving a gear-down indication. During the landing on a turf runway, the pilot noted that as the main gear made contact, he eased the nose forward to pin the aircraft down. Following this movement, the airplane decelerated rapidly, and the propeller stopped in a horizontal position with the blades bent backward.
The investigation
An individual who arrived at the airport to assist with extending the landing gear observed that the main gear was out of the gear well and the gear doors were extended approximately one inch. Upon removing packed mud and dirt from the nose wheel well, all three pieces of landing gear fell into the down and locked position.
Findings
The pilot reported that no mechanical malfunction or failure was involved in the accident. The aircraft owner's manual landing checklist requires pilots to verify the landing gear is down by ensuring the green gear-down indicator light is illuminated, the gear warning horn is silent, and the gear emergency handle is in the forward position.