Pilot of an atx be-18 used the landing gear override switch to retract the landing gear after takeof...

Attributes
ACN	273285
Time
Date	199406
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 400 agl bound upper : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phl
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Twin Beech 18
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 215 flight time total : 4900 flight time type : 115
ASRS Report	273285
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On jun/xx/94, I was plting a be-18 from phl to lorain county. After takeoff, at AM15Z, while retracting the landing gear, there was not a positive landing gear-up indication. After troubleshooting with the appropriate checklist, I consulted my company's maintenance department via radio communication. The maintenance manager instructed me to use the override switch to retract the gear, and also assured me that it would extend normally later. He then advised me to continue the trip as scheduled, and to call after landing at lorain county. I then used the override as instructed and was able to retract the landing gear, and successfully extended the gear prior to landing at lorain county. Because the landing gear worked satisfactorily, maintenance recommended that I fly back empty from lorain county to willow run with the gear down, so that they could troubleshoot later if necessary. I did so, and landed at willow run without further incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the uplock solenoid had failed causing the need to override the gear handle selector switch to retract the landing gear. The landing gear can be retracted and extended normally when using the override lever located next to the gear handle behind the instrument panel. The aircraft was a beech 18 and rptedly has several variations of the landing gear system. He was directed to retract the gear on the empty outbound trip if there was a need. It was suggested to leave the landing gear down if possible so the system could be checked more accurately.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN ATX BE-18 USED THE LNDG GEAR OVERRIDE SWITCH TO RETRACT THE LNDG GEAR AFTER TKOF DUE TO THE LNDG GEAR NOT LOCKING IN THE UP POS.

Narrative: ON JUN/XX/94, I WAS PLTING A BE-18 FROM PHL TO LORAIN COUNTY. AFTER TKOF, AT AM15Z, WHILE RETRACTING THE LNDG GEAR, THERE WAS NOT A POSITIVE LNDG GEAR-UP INDICATION. AFTER TROUBLESHOOTING WITH THE APPROPRIATE CHKLIST, I CONSULTED MY COMPANY'S MAINT DEPT VIA RADIO COM. THE MAINT MGR INSTRUCTED ME TO USE THE OVERRIDE SWITCH TO RETRACT THE GEAR, AND ALSO ASSURED ME THAT IT WOULD EXTEND NORMALLY LATER. HE THEN ADVISED ME TO CONTINUE THE TRIP AS SCHEDULED, AND TO CALL AFTER LNDG AT LORAIN COUNTY. I THEN USED THE OVERRIDE AS INSTRUCTED AND WAS ABLE TO RETRACT THE LNDG GEAR, AND SUCCESSFULLY EXTENDED THE GEAR PRIOR TO LNDG AT LORAIN COUNTY. BECAUSE THE LNDG GEAR WORKED SATISFACTORILY, MAINT RECOMMENDED THAT I FLY BACK EMPTY FROM LORAIN COUNTY TO WILLOW RUN WITH THE GEAR DOWN, SO THAT THEY COULD TROUBLESHOOT LATER IF NECESSARY. I DID SO, AND LANDED AT WILLOW RUN WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE UPLOCK SOLENOID HAD FAILED CAUSING THE NEED TO OVERRIDE THE GEAR HANDLE SELECTOR SWITCH TO RETRACT THE LNDG GEAR. THE LNDG GEAR CAN BE RETRACTED AND EXTENDED NORMALLY WHEN USING THE OVERRIDE LEVER LOCATED NEXT TO THE GEAR HANDLE BEHIND THE INST PANEL. THE ACFT WAS A BEECH 18 AND RPTEDLY HAS SEVERAL VARIATIONS OF THE LNDG GEAR SYS. HE WAS DIRECTED TO RETRACT THE GEAR ON THE EMPTY OUTBOUND TRIP IF THERE WAS A NEED. IT WAS SUGGESTED TO LEAVE THE LNDG GEAR DOWN IF POSSIBLE SO THE SYS COULD BE CHKED MORE ACCURATELY.

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.

Pilot of an atx be-18 used the landing gear override switch to retract the landing gear after takeoff due to the landing gear not locking in the up position.