Narrative:

Emergency gear handle had been pulled down. Handle only moves about 2 inches. Handle is locked down when pulled. Checked handle and it appeared to be in stowed position. Gear would not retract on takeoff returned to airport. Declared an emergency. Will check closed on all switch, handle and lever positions. When handle was checked on preflight, it would not move up so we assumed it was stowed properly. There is a washer which is loose which holds handle up and down. I learned new information today and remembered my old rule: never trust anybody flying. Never assume other people have done their job because they probably haven't.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER LTT UNABLE TO RETRACT GEAR AFTER TKOF BECAUSE THE EMER GEAR HANDLE WAS NOT IN THE CORRECT POS.

Narrative: EMER GEAR HANDLE HAD BEEN PULLED DOWN. HANDLE ONLY MOVES ABOUT 2 INCHES. HANDLE IS LOCKED DOWN WHEN PULLED. CHKED HANDLE AND IT APPEARED TO BE IN STOWED POS. GEAR WOULD NOT RETRACT ON TKOF RETURNED TO ARPT. DECLARED AN EMER. WILL CHK CLOSED ON ALL SWITCH, HANDLE AND LEVER POSITIONS. WHEN HANDLE WAS CHKED ON PREFLT, IT WOULD NOT MOVE UP SO WE ASSUMED IT WAS STOWED PROPERLY. THERE IS A WASHER WHICH IS LOOSE WHICH HOLDS HANDLE UP AND DOWN. I LEARNED NEW INFO TODAY AND REMEMBERED MY OLD RULE: NEVER TRUST ANYBODY FLYING. NEVER ASSUME OTHER PEOPLE HAVE DONE THEIR JOB BECAUSE THEY PROBABLY HAVEN'T.

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.