What should you do if you are unable to raise the gear handle after takeoff?

• A. Cycle the landing gear control switch.
• B. Pull the gear handle and attempt re-raise.
• C. Push the gear handle to the DOWN position and hold.
• D. Use the DN LCK REL button next to the gear handle to release the downlock mechanism.

Answer: (D)

When the gear won’t come up after takeoff, a common issue is the mechanical downlock staying engaged and preventing retraction. The dedicated downlock release button next to the gear handle is designed for this situation. Pressing DN LCK REL frees the downlock, allowing the hydraulic system to retract the gear when you command it to raise. After releasing, you would re-try retraction and verify the gear indication confirms the gear is up.

Other actions don’t solve the problem: cycling the gear control switch may not release a stuck downlock; pulling the gear handle again doesn’t free the lock and won’t fix the jam; pushing the gear handle down and holding would force the gear down in flight, increasing drag and potential risk. The downlock release is the correct, intended step to clear a downlock fault.