Incident Description
A private pilot with a total of 196 flight hours reported that during the landing touchdown, the airplane felt "spongy or squirrelly" and a propeller strike occurred. In response, the pilot pulled back on the flight controls to raise the airplane's nose. After the airplane settled back onto the runway, it "pulled to the right," causing the right wing to strike the runway surface and come to rest on the ground.
Airframe Examination
Inspection of the airframe revealed an approximately one-foot square hole on the upper skin of the right wing, with the support structure of the right landing gear protruding upward through the wing skin. Examination of the wing area found no rust or corrosion on the landing gear strut or its surrounding structure, and there was no evidence of premature failure at the landing gear strut attachment points. The left main and nose landing gear were confirmed to be in the down and locked position.
Runway Evidence
Examination of the runway found propeller strike marks 1,000 feet from the approach end and about six inches to the right of the centerline. At that location, pieces of propeller seals and rings were discovered. No other scrapes or marks related to the airplane were found in that area. Approximately 1,000 feet further down the runway, on the right side and prior to a right wingtip scar, a landing gear tire scuffmark was present.
Investigation Findings
Photographs of the airplane showed that when the left main and nose landing gear are extended, it is not possible for the three-blade propeller to contact the ground. The investigation determined that the landing gear was in the retracted position when the propeller strikes occurred, and that the landing gear was extended when the pilot raised the nose. The right main landing gear strut was pushed through the top of the wing during the subsequent hard landing. The airport manager reported that the runway surface had been completely resurfaced less than three months before the accident.