This happened on my XC flight today, need some thoughts on it!

[Zeldman]

What would cause a prop strike?

This pilot was landing too fast and tried to force the plane onto the runway.

 

[Daleandee]

This pilot was landing too fast and tried to force the plane onto the runway.

Here's another one (twin engine) that will have you screaming "Go Around!"

 

[MauleSkinner]

Here's another one (twin engine) that will have you screaming "Go Around!"

I didn’t scream, but I think I had an emergency evacuation.

 

[Timbeck2]

Damper? Possibly but it could be other issues such as worn out gear components or an out of round or unbalanced wheel as well or any combination of the above.

 

[kaiser]

Here's another one (twin engine) that will have you screaming "Go Around!"

That’s from the “You can always go around” song!

 

[iamtheari]

damper. DAMPER. it's DAMPER!

What’s wrong, were you stricken by lightening? (I think I get a double word score for stricken.)

To the OP: Was the plane heavier and/or carrying a more forward CG than you are used to? Full tanks for the cross-country, an adult passenger, and maybe a 20 lb. purse can all add up. Flying 10 or 15% heavier than you are used to or with a CG different than you are used to can make a big difference in how the plane feels. It feels different in the flare, it sinks a little faster at the same airspeed, and it puts more weight on the nose wheel when you don’t apply any back pressure on the yoke. The solution is to practice more with the plane loaded at different corners of the legal envelope.

 

[texasclouds]

I remember my first shimmy…

 

[idahoflier]

I like to land with extra speed (75-80knots) then raise the nose to bleed the speed off in ground effect before touching down. It’s difficult to master but practice makes perfect. You can consider doing 3 take offs and landings prior to bringing a passenger in the plane so the feeling of landing is recent and your passenger doesn’t freak out when they get in and experience a landing. Advice from a similar newbie, take it with a grain of salt.

Just curious, why? That's 15-20 kts too fast and a bad habit to get into that will bite you if you operate in short fields and/or high DA...

 

[Motor6]

Certainly less than 66, I didnt take a look right before touch down but my power was idle so I doubt I caught any more additional speed.

Your “power was idle” so you doubt you “caught any more additional speed”. All you gotta do is dip the nose to pick up speed, no throttle needed. Throttle for altitude, pitch for speed. Check out Stick and Rudder, by Wolfgang Langewiesche. I just finished listening to it in the car to and from work. Much of it I knew, but I learned a lot as a new pilot.