What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Struck prop on takeoff after gear retraction. Pilot stated in telephone interview that on takeoff, his knee board fell and he attempted to retrieve it during gear retraction. He was unable to put the gear handle fully up because of the position of the knee board. While looking down in his attempt to retrieve the knee board, the pilot recognized he was descending. He stated that he returned to a climb profile and began to climb out. He stated that he flew around the pattern and landed normally. He was contacted by the tower and advised them he needed to return as a precaution. Upon landing, damage was discovered to the propeller, passenger entry step, and several antennas. The pilot stated that he was wearing noise cancelling headsets and never heard the strike. He also stated that he did not observe an RPM change or vibration. The pilot stated the incident was a result of his inattention on takeoff due to the knee board being dropped.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) STRUCK PROP ON TAKEOFF AFTER GEAR RETRACTION. PILOT STATED IN TELEPHONE INTERVIEW THAT ON TAKEOFF, HIS KNEE BOARD FELL AND HE ATTEMPTED TO RETRIEVE IT DURING GEAR RETRACTION. HE WAS UNABLE TO PUT THE GEAR HANDLE FULLY UP BECAUSE OF THE POSITION OF THE KNEE BOARD. WHILE LOOKING DOWN IN HIS ATTEMPT TO RETRIEVE THE KNEE BOARD, THE PILOT RECOGNIZED HE WAS DESCENDING. HE STATED THAT HE RETURNED TO A CLIMB PROFILE AND BEGAN TO CLIMB OUT. HE STATED THAT HE FLEW AROUND THE PATTERN AND LANDED NORMALLY. HE WAS CONTACTED BY THE TOWER AND ADVISED THEM HE NEEDED TO RETURN AS A PRECAUTION. UPON LANDING, DAMAGE WAS DISCOVERED TO THE PROPELLER, PASSENGER ENTRY STEP, AND SEVERAL ANTENNAS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS WEARING NOISE CANCELLING HEADSETS AND NEVER HEARD THE STRIKE. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE DID NOT OBSERVE AN RPM CHANGE OR VIBRATION. THE PILOT STATED THE INCIDENT WAS A RESULT OF HIS INATTENTION ON TAKEOFF DUE TO THE KNEE BOARD BEING DROPPED.