A FLT INSTRUCTOR AND HIS STUDENT AT TTN FLYING A PA44-180 FAILED TO LOWER THE LNDG GEAR DURING APCH AND STRUCK THE L PROP WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND.

Narrative

WHILE ENGAGED IN MULTI-ENG INSTRUCTOR TRAINING IN THE TFC PATTERN AT THE TTN ARPT; AND WHILE ON LNDG FLARE; THE PROP TIPS OF THE L ENG CONTACTED THE RWY AND WERE DAMAGED. I WAS BEING TRAINED BY A MULTI-ENG INSTRUCTOR; RATED IN THE ACFT AT THE TIME. THE LNDG GEAR HAD INADVERTENTLY BEEN LEFT IN THE RETRACTED POS; DUE TO THE DISTRS ASSOCIATED WITH A SIMULATED ENG FAILURE IN THE TFC PATTERN; COMBINED WITH A SHORT APCH AND LNDG. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE DIFFICULTY CTLING THE ACFT WHILE SIMULATING AN ENG SECURING PROC WITH WINDY CONDITIONS (13+ KTS) AND GUSTS (20+ KTS) AS WELL AS OCCASIONAL MODERATE TURB BELOW 3000 FT MSL; WHICH ADDED TO THE DISTRS. ADDITIONALLY; THE VERY BRIGHT SUNSHINE GLARING OFF THE INST PANEL MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE EITHER THE 'GEAR UNSAFE' WARNING LIGHT; OR THE 3 'GEAR DOWN SAFE' LIGHTS OFF. ALSO THE GEAR UP WARNING HORN WAS NOT HEARD EITHER BECAUSE IT WAS NOT TRIGGERED; THOUGH THE PWR WAS BELOW THE 15 INCHES MANIFOLD PRESSURE POINT; OR BECAUSE OF THE STANDARD COCKPIT AND COMS NOISE. THE COMBINED DISTRS OF THE NONSTANDARD APCH AND LNDG; AS WELL AS THE EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS; RESULTED IN THE DAMAGE TO THE L ENG PROP TIPS. THE INSTRUCTOR QUICKLY RECOGNIZED AN UNUSUAL SIT AND PROMPTLY EXECUTED A GAR FOR A NORMAL LNDG. SINCE THE ACFT OPERATED AS NORMAL DURING THE GAR; IT WAS THOUGHT THAT IT HAD BEEN THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TAIL TIP OR ONE OF THE BELLY ANTENNAS THAT HAD CONTACTED THE RWY. IT WAS LATER DISCOVERED; AFTER ENG SHUTDOWN; THAT THE PROP TIPS ON THE L ENG HAD BEEN DAMAGED; AND HAD CURLED BACK ABOUT 1 INCH.