The pilot reported that after selecting the landing gear UP, the in-transit light remained ON. Selecting the gear DOWN failed to obtain a safe indication, with the in-transit light remaining ON. The pilot elected to hold in the Camden area, where an aerial inspection by another aircraft confirmed that the landing gear appeared to be UP, but the gear doors remained open. Attempts to lower the landing gear using the emergency system were unsuccessful, and the emergency handle appeared to be jammed. The pilot requested emergency services to standby at Bankstown. The aircraft subsequently returned and landed with the landing gear retracted.
After recovering the aircraft, minor repairs to electrical wiring, damaged as a result of the accident, were carried out. The landing gear system was then cycled several times, using both normal and emergency systems, without fault. The reasons why the landing gear initially failed to fully retract, then failed to extend by use of the emergency system, were not determined.