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.

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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.