Electric gear failed to retract m20f

[mpilot]

While getting out to get into the pattern and do some work, my electric gear didn't retract ('66 m20f). No motor noise, Green light stayed illuminated. after about 6-7 seconds I placed the handle back down. At that I did a low approach with tower verifying gear visibly down, then one more pattern to land.

Last time out I thought the gear motor sounded odd, but I also had a weird seal to my ears on my ANC headset, so during that flight everything seemed louder, so I wrote it off. Now it is something I'm considering as a potential issue (motor/actuator issue).

Once on the ground, I found that the CB for gear could NOT be pulled. So, I'll get one of those ordered while awaiting appt with my A&P.

Also, I did not find a squat sensor on Left main, so I believe mine is airspeed switch (I was well above the airspeed threshold it would be set at when attempting to retract gear).

I'll be diving through logs today, but am open to wisdom and guidance from the pros.

 

Thanks 

 

[Ragsf15e]

1 hour ago, mpilot said:

While getting out to get into the pattern and do some work, my electric gear didn't retract ('66 m20f). No motor noise, Green light stayed illuminated. after about 6-7 seconds I placed the handle back down. At that I did a low approach with tower verifying gear visibly down, then one more pattern to land.

Last time out I thought the gear motor sounded odd, but I also had a weird seal to my ears on my ANC headset, so during that flight everything seemed louder, so I wrote it off. Now it is something I'm considering as a potential issue (motor/actuator issue).

Once on the ground, I found that the CB for gear could NOT be pulled. So, I'll get one of those ordered while awaiting appt with my A&P.

Also, I did not find a squat sensor on Left main, so I believe mine is airspeed switch (I was well above the airspeed threshold it would be set at when attempting to retract gear).

I'll be diving through logs today, but am open to wisdom and guidance from the pros.

 

Thanks 

 

There are quite a few threads on this, Google will be your friend.

People will say it’s the pucks but I think unlikely without the squat switch.

Do you have the override switch installed? It overrides the airspeed switch, so you can try that if it’s stuck down as a troubleshooting test.

The best way to find/fix will be to get it on jacks and replicate the problem, then follow the electrons with a digital voltmeter.  There are a couple limit switches and relays that feed power to the motor.   It is common for one of them to go out after ~50 years.  You need to study the electrical diagram in the back of your MM.  I’d probably be looking at the relays first if it’s not the airspeed switch.

[IvanP]

The limit switches and relays are the easiest to check and fix. I would start checking these with the plane on jacks. 

[BrianWilkins]

Next time it does this, tap on the floor right behind the pilot’s seat and see what happens.  If the gear goes up, you need a new relay. 

[mpilot]

2 hours ago, Ragsf15e said:

There are quite a few threads on this, Google will be your friend.

People will say it’s the pucks but I think unlikely without the squat switch.

Do you have the override switch installed? It overrides the airspeed switch, so you can try that if it’s stuck down as a troubleshooting test.

The best way to find/fix will be to get it on jacks and replicate the problem, then follow the electrons with a digital voltmeter.  There are a couple limit switches and relays that feed power to the motor.   It is common for one of them to go out after ~50 years.  You need to study the electrical diagram in the back of your MM.  I’d probably be looking at the relays first if it’s not the airspeed switch.

ah, I forgot to mention I don't have the override button. 

I'll add relays to the initial checklist. I had a green light the whole time, so I had ruled limit switches out. . I'll check them

[PT20J]

If it doesn't go up it is most likely either the safety switch (squat or airspeed) or the up limit switch or the up relay. Sometimes the plunger on the up limit switch sticks. I don't know how it works on an F, but on a J you will get a gear warning horn if you put the gear switch up and the safety switch is closed.

EDIT: You didn't say which breaker related to the gear doesn't work, but that would be the first thing I would check, because it sounds like the breaker suffered some sort of mechanical failure and it may not be making contact internally.

Edited December 28, 2025 by PT20J

[mpilot]

6 hours ago, PT20J said:

If it doesn't go up it is most likely either the safety switch (squat or airspeed) or the up limit switch or the up relay. Sometimes the plunger on the up limit switch sticks. I don't know how it works on an F, but on a J you will get a gear warning horn if you put the gear switch up and the safety switch is closed.

EDIT: You didn't say which breaker related to the gear doesn't work, but that would be the first thing I would check, because it sounds like the breaker suffered some sort of mechanical failure and it may not be making contact internally.

The 25a breaker in the manual handle area. I was unable to pull it, so even if not part of equation, that's not so great if I need to manually extend. I've discovered that's a pricey breaker! although not as pricey as it breaking when I need it. 

[mpilot]

also, to be clear, the motor definitely did not engage/run. I hear it every time, and not hearing it is why I kept my eyes on the illuminated green light.

[Ragsf15e]

52 minutes ago, mpilot said:

also, to be clear, the motor definitely did not engage/run. I hear it every time, and not hearing it is why I kept my eyes on the illuminated green light.

I think you need to resolve the breaker issue first to ensure you’ve got power to the motor.

[mpilot]

Agreed, just a detail I didn't include. 

What I am struggling to find is the specific 25a CB (for the gear in the left hand manual retract area) in the IPB . The reference I found in another thread seems to point to a 24v cb, and the "gear control" i find in the IPB seems to be a 5a (the one the manual lever hits?), not the 25a I'm looking for in this somewhat blurry catalog. (but I also don't see the actuator/motor, so I'm at a loss here).

 

[Ragsf15e]

53 minutes ago, mpilot said:

Agreed, just a detail I didn't include. 

What I am struggling to find is the specific 25a CB (for the gear in the left hand manual retract area) in the IPB . The reference I found in another thread seems to point to a 24v cb, and the "gear control" i find in the IPB seems to be a 5a (the one the manual lever hits?), not the 25a I'm looking for in this somewhat blurry catalog. (but I also don't see the actuator/motor, so I'm at a loss here).

 

Yeah, yours is going to be confusing because it was originally a Johnson bar airplane since it’s a ‘66.  It was likely modified soon after being built, but Id look in the logs, see when it was changed to electric and then look at the IPC for that year.  What you’re describing sounds very much how my ‘68 electric gear looked.  Mine was modified at the factory right after being built.

I will try to find a picture, but isn’t there just one black cb on the left hand side near the crank?  That would be the gear power 25amp one you’re describing.  The red thing is not a cb… or im misremembering… i sold my f a little over a year ago. 

fwiw, the 25 amp one mine was hard to pull.

[PT20J]

Call Frank Crawford at the factory. 

[mpilot]

1 hour ago, Ragsf15e said:

Yeah, yours is going to be confusing because it was originally a Johnson bar airplane since it’s a ‘66.  It was likely modified soon after being built, but Id look in the logs, see when it was changed to electric and then look at the IPC for that year.  What you’re describing sounds very much how my ‘68 electric gear looked.  Mine was modified at the factory right after being built.

I will try to find a picture, but isn’t there just one black cb on the left hand side near the crank?  That would be the gear power 25amp one you’re describing.  The red thing is not a cb… or im misremembering… i sold my f a little over a year ago. 

fwiw, the 25 amp one mine was hard to pull.

You're right, only breaker. in the catalog, I see "gear control" and it shows 5a, so that is why I'm referencing the red 5a button as a cb (when it is different). and you're also right, mine is confusing in that it is a 66, but it has a 67 serial number, 6 digits not 4, and it is, by serial number, covered by the IPC I'm using, but by year it is not. . . aren't I lucky. I'll look deep in logs today.

 

1 hour ago, PT20J said:

Call Frank Crawford at the factory. 

I'll look him up. thanks

[OneSaltyItalian]

I had something similar happen... It seems it might not be exactly the same problem, but there's two switches under the belly near the pilot's seat that enable the switch to activate.  There should be an up and a down switch.  If you remove the belly, you can clean them with something like an electronics spray.  That's what I did this last annual and I have had zero problems since.  

This thread contains a diagram of the issue I had that was fixed.

[201Steve]

Had this happen on a 77J which is very similar to an F. It was the plunger mechanism connected to the gear up limit switch. 
 

Fly around with the gear stowed…. Put the wheels down to land…. And the limit switch from being up never disengages. Shutting down the system. Careful diagnosing “tapping” anything. It’s just enough vibration to break loose one of about 4 different options no matter where you tap. 
 

 

I replaced relays, squat switch, down limit, throw switch, etc until it was discovered to be a dirty plunger from the up limit switch. Tapping on the solenoid made it work but it wasn’t the solenoid. lol. Anyway, I replaced everything before discovering it was the easiest thing to fix.