What happened
On 16 November 2016, a Piper PA-32R-301T, registration N551TT, was conducting a night rating training flight from Blackbushe Airport in Surrey. The weather conditions at the time were dark and rainy, though visibility remained good with calm surface winds.
Following a local navigation exercise, the crew rejoined the circuit to perform an approach to Runway 25. The aircraft completed a standard touchdown on the tarmac surface. While the aircraft was still rolling along the runway to perform a touch-and-go maneuver, the pilot requested that the instructor raise the flaps. During this process, the pilot also retracted the landing gear, which triggered the gear unsafe warning.
As the aircraft began to pitch up, the pilot lowered the nose, resulting in the propeller striking the runway surface. The instructor subsequently took control of the aircraft, climbed to regain flight, and re-selected the landing gear to the down position. After ensuring the gear was locked, the instructor completed the landing on the remaining runway. The engine was shut down immediately following the arrival.
The investigation
The investigation was based on the aircraft accident report submitted by the pilot. Investigators examined the sequence of cockpit actions and the mechanical state of the aircraft following the impact. The investigation established that the propeller sustained damage and the engine suffered a shock-load event. The instructor noted that a go-around was not attempted due to the risk of operating with a damaged propeller.