PIPER PA28-180 PVT PLT LOST CTL OF THE ACFT DURING XWIND LNDG TOUCHDOWN RESULTING IN A PROP STRIKE DURING ATTEMPTED RECOVERY AND SUBSEQUENT GAR.

Narrative

I WAS LINED UP FOR A LNDG ON RWY 23 IN LAWRENCE; MA. ATIS INFO RPTED WINDS FROM 270 DEGS AT 12 KTS GUSTING TO 20 KTS. I HAD 10 DEGS FLAPS AND CROSSED THE FENCE WITH ABOUT 85 MPA INDICATED AIRSPD. I HELD ABOUT 20 DEGS BANK TO COMPENSATE FOR THE XWIND. AT THE TIME OF THE FLARE; I WAS HIT BY A GUST AND WAS PUSHED TO THE L AND BALLOONED. I TRIED TO SAVE THE LNDG AND ADDED SOME PWR TO AVOID A HARD LNDG. THIS RESULTED IN AN OSCILLATION AND 2 MORE BOUNCES; BEFORE I DECIDED TO GO AROUND. DURING THE GAR I NOTICED A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN PWR AND A VIBRATION. I SUSPECTED A PROP STRIKE AND REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE RETURN FOR LNDG. I PERFORMED A LOW APCH OVER RWY 32K; THAT THE TWR COULD INSPECT MY LNDG GEAR AND RETURNED FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG ON RWY 32. BEFORE I RETURNED FOR THE LOW APCH THE TWR RPTED WINDS FROM 290 DEGS AND SWITCHED THE TFC TO RWY 32. I HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED MANY LNDGS ON RWY 23 WITH WIND FROM 270 DEGS BEFORE. I UNDERESTIMATED THE XWIND FACTOR AND SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED A LNDG ON RWY 32 INSTEAD OF RWY 23.