PA-31T Cheyenne I
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 31; Flight Crew Total 3796; Flight Crew Type 1174
Situational Awareness; Workload; Distraction; Human-Machine Interface
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Ground Strike - Aircraft
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Aircraft; Human Factors
Upon entering the airport traffic pattern; I lowered the landing gear; confirmed three green gear-down indicator lights; and lowered the flaps 10 degrees. Upon turning downwind for the runway; I lowered another 10 degrees of flaps. After turning to base leg; I lowered full flaps for landing. I established a stabilized final approach to land at a normal approach speed. I never had a gear warning horn. During the landing flare; I noticed that the aircraft seemed to be settling too close to the runway as compared to its normal height at touchdown. I immediately aborted the landing. I elected to divert to a nearby airport; approximately 4 miles away.During the brief flight to the nearby airport I cycled the landing gear and noted normal gear cycle sounds and three green gear-down indicator lights. The plane flew without any change in performance or flight characteristics; and made an uneventful; normal landing. After landing; upon inspection; it became evident that the tips of the propellers and one corner of the trailing edge flap had come into brief contact with the runway during the aborted landing. However; there was no evidence that the fuselage had come into contact with the runway.During the flight and post flight inspection; I did not notice any damage or failure of the aircraft or its components; which adversely affected the structural strength; performance; or flight characteristics of the aircraft; or which will require major repair or replacement of the affected component(s).
PA-31 pilot reported failure to lower the landing gear on final; resulting in a gear-up landing and damage to the aircraft.