PA23 PLT REALIZED THE L PROP STRUCK THE RWY DURING THE TKOF FROM EYQ.

Date: 2003-09 · Aircraft: PA-23 Apache/Geronimo Apache

Anomalies: ground-event-encounter-other-unknown

Synopsis

PA23 PLT REALIZED THE L PROP STRUCK THE RWY DURING THE TKOF FROM EYQ.

Narrative

ON TKOF; THE ACFT SEEMED TO FLOAT BTWN 65 AND 70 KTS; AS IF TO TAKE OFF PRIOR TO ROTATION SPD. THE ACT THEN (TORQUED) L AND I WORKED TO MANAGE THE ACFT INTO A POSITIVE RATE OF CLB; THEN LIFTING THE LNDG GEAR; FOR DEP. THE ACFT; OBVIOUSLY; SEEMED TO ACT UNUSUAL; BUT ONCE AIRBORNE THE PERFORMANCE SEEMED OK; YET SLOW. I CHKED ALL INSTS; AND EVERYTHING WAS OK. I CONSIDERED IMMEDIATELY RETURNING TO EYQ; BUT DECIDED TO PROCEED TO RWY 11R AT BRENHAM; TX. THE ACFT DID SEEM TO LACK ENERGY WHILE AT CRUISE ALT. ONCE I APCHED RWY 11R; I ASKED UNICOM TO CHK MY LNDG GEAR TO ASSURE ALL WHEELS WERE DOWN. I HAD 2 LIGHTS NOT WORKING AND BASED ON THE ERRATIC TKOF; ALL WAS WELL. ON PASSING DOWN CTRLINE; ALL WAS RPTED WELL. I THEN STAYED IN THE PATTERN AND LANDED SAFELY. ON THE GND; THE L PROP WAS EQUALLY 'Q-TIPPED' ON EACH END FROM THE DEP AT WEISER (EYQ). SOME PAINT WAS REMOVED FROM THE L LOWER COWLING AND APPARENTLY THERE WAS SOME DRAGGING ON THE REAR TIEDOWN FROM DEP. I GENUINELY FEEL THIS ACFT IS UNSAFE AND BELIEVE THE LNDG GEAR FAILED ON TKOF.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.