Narrative:

Shortly after takeoff at pwm, I called for gear up and copilot told me the handle would not go up. We did abnormal and I elected to not use the override in case someone left a gear pin, 4x4 or railroad track in the wheel well. I circled the airport at 3000' VFR while communicating and doing procedures. I advised the passenger of the problem while we were in the sterile environment dictated by FAA and probably broke the law, but I thought it necessary to let them know why we were going round and round, lest they try to bail out through emergency exits after landing at the airport from which we just took off in the large transport. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter apparently played the situation extremely cautiously. Refused to accept mechanics suggestion that he use the override button to release the gear locks to raise the gear. Unloaded passenger and filed a ferry to maintenance. En route heard a solenoid click. Realized gear was now free to raise. Raised the gear and proceeded to maintenance. States company admitted there is a problem with the gear release switches.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GEAR WOULD NOT COME UP ON LGT AFTER TKOF. CAPT MADE PASSENGER ANNOUNCEMENT IN STERILE COCKPIT ENVIRONMENT (3000' MSL) REGARDING RETURNING TO ARPT AND NATURE OF EMERGENCY.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF AT PWM, I CALLED FOR GEAR UP AND COPLT TOLD ME THE HANDLE WOULD NOT GO UP. WE DID ABNORMAL AND I ELECTED TO NOT USE THE OVERRIDE IN CASE SOMEONE LEFT A GEAR PIN, 4X4 OR RAILROAD TRACK IN THE WHEEL WELL. I CIRCLED THE ARPT AT 3000' VFR WHILE COMMUNICATING AND DOING PROCS. I ADVISED THE PAX OF THE PROB WHILE WE WERE IN THE STERILE ENVIRONMENT DICTATED BY FAA AND PROBABLY BROKE THE LAW, BUT I THOUGHT IT NECESSARY TO LET THEM KNOW WHY WE WERE GOING ROUND AND ROUND, LEST THEY TRY TO BAIL OUT THROUGH EMER EXITS AFTER LNDG AT THE ARPT FROM WHICH WE JUST TOOK OFF IN THE LGT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR APPARENTLY PLAYED THE SITUATION EXTREMELY CAUTIOUSLY. REFUSED TO ACCEPT MECHS SUGGESTION THAT HE USE THE OVERRIDE BUTTON TO RELEASE THE GEAR LOCKS TO RAISE THE GEAR. UNLOADED PAX AND FILED A FERRY TO MAINT. ENRTE HEARD A SOLENOID CLICK. REALIZED GEAR WAS NOW FREE TO RAISE. RAISED THE GEAR AND PROCEEDED TO MAINT. STATES COMPANY ADMITTED THERE IS A PROB WITH THE GEAR RELEASE SWITCHES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.