A RPTR REGRETS OVERFLYING AN ACFT DEALER THAT MIGHT HAVE HELPED HIM IN HIS HR OF NEED. LNDG GEAR EXTENSION PROB -- GEAR UP LNDG.

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WE DEPARTED WJF WITH A SEARCH GRID ASSIGNMENT IN THE MT WHITNEY AREA. OUR PLAN WAS TO ENTER GRID AT 12500 FT. WHILE CLBING THROUGH 7000-8000 FT; IT SEEMED THE ACFT PERFORMANCE WAS NOT WHAT IT SHOULD BE. ENG PWR WAS NORM AND ALL READINGS WERE NORMAL; BUT CLB RATE WAS ONLY ABOUT 200 FPM. AT THAT POINT I NOTICED THERE WAS NO LIGHT INDICATION ON THE LNDG GEAR; NEITHER SAFE NOR UNSAFE. THE LIGHT BULB CHKED OK. A DISCUSSION WITH THE REST OF CREW LED US TO BELIEVE THAT POSSIBLY THE GEAR WAS PARTIALLY EXTENDED. OUR RETURN AND SUBSEQUENT LOW PASS BY THE WJF TWR WAS CONFIRMED. OUR NEXT PLAN WAS TO ATTEMPT TO EXTEND THE GEAR BY THE ALTERNATE METHOD. THE EMER CHKLIST WAS FOLLOWED AND ACFT MANUAL CONSULTED TO NO AVAIL. A CHASE PLANE WAS SENT UP WITH A MECH ON BOARD FAMILIAR WITH BEECH ACFT. HE REVIEWED WHAT HAD BEEN DONE AND MADE SEVERAL ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH WERE TRIED WITHOUT SUCCESS. WE DECIDED TO PICK A FIELD WHERE WE WOULD NOT TIE UP TFC AND THAT ALSO HAD FIRE EQUIPMENT. NZJ CONSENTED TO OUR REQUEST FOR EMER LNDG. GEAR UP LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED AT NZJ WITH NO INJURIES TO CREW AND MINIMAL DAMAGE TO ACFT. THIS ACFT HAD AN ANNUAL INSPECTION COMPLETED BY FORMER OWNER 15 HRS BEFORE INCIDENT. ABOUT 5 HRS BEFORE INCIDENT; GEAR MOTOR FAILED AND NECESSITATED EXTENDING GEAR BY ALTERNATE METHOD SUCCESSFULLY. AS IN ALL INCIDENTS OF THIS NATURE; ESPECIALLY IF IT INVOLVES POSSIBLE BODILY INJURY AND DAMAGE TO ONE'S ACFT; ONE ALWAYS WONDERS WHETHER EVERYTHING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE; HAD BEEN. THE DAY OF INCIDENT I FELT CONFIDENT IT HAD. THE NEXT DAY I REMEMBERED THAT WHILE ENRTE FROM WJF TO NZJ; I PASSED RIGHT OVER ONT. MYPOINT IS; THE BEECHCRAFT FAC IS LOCATED AT ONT. THERE WAS A POSSIBLE SOURCE OF AID THAT I DID NOT UTILIZE. MY AIRLINE TRAINING EMPHASIZED THAT AND I DID NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ADDITIONAL HELP FROM A WELL INFORMED SOURCE.