PLT OF AN ATX TWIN CONTINUED TO DEST AFTER THE LNDG GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT. PLT EXPERIENCE LEVEL LOW IN TYPE.

Narrative

AFTER A NORMAL TAXI AND TKOF; I PLACED THE LNDG GEAR SELECTOR SWITCH IN THE 'UP' POS AND THE GEAR DID NOT RETRACT. I CONTINUED THE CLB TO MY ASSIGNED ALT; CHKED THE APPROPRIATE BREAKERS; READ THE ACFT'S OP MANUAL CHKLIST FOR THIS SIT; BUT WAS STILL UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROB. ALL 3 GEAR INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE 'GREEN' AND I WAS VERY SURE THAT THE GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED. AS A PRECAUTION; I NOTIFIED WICHITA DEP THAT I WOULD LIKE TO FLY BY THE TWR AND HAVE THEM VISUALLY INSPECT THE GEAR. I DID SO; AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE GEAR APPEARED TO BE 'DOWN AND LOCKED.' AT THAT POINT; I CHOSE TO PROCEED ON TO MY DEST. I LANDED AT THE GREAT BEND ARPT WITHOUT INCIDENT AND NOTIFIED COMPANY PERSONNEL. THEY DETERMINED THE PROB TO BE THAT THE EMER GEAR EXTENSION HANDLE HAD BEEN KNOCKED OUT OF PLACE; WHICH DISCONNECTED THE GEAR MOTOR FROM THE EXTENSION SYS. AFTER DISCUSSING THE SIT WITH MY DIRECTOR OF OPS; HE INDICATED THAT MY DECISION TO PROCEED TO THE DEST COULD BE QUESTIONED. HE RAISED THE POSSIBILITY THAT AN ENG FAILURE; COMBINED WITH THE GEAR PROB COULD HAVE LED TO A DIFFICULT EMER SIT. THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE OPS MANUAL FOR THIS SIT WAS TO LEAVE THE GEAR DOWN AND LAND AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE. AT THE TIME; IT SEEMED MORE PRACTICABLE TO LAND AT GREAT BEND; SINCE THIS IS WHERE OUR COMPANY HAS MAINT PERSONNEL.