Originally Posted by
ExAscoteer
Even though it's a short transit you wouldn't normally do it gear down; we certainly never did on neither the Dominie nor the Jetstream.
The gear will be down, I would think, for one of two reasons: Either it won't retract or one wishes a slow, high drag, transit in the approach configuration because one has airframe damage.
Maybe the crew just had doubts about the gear coming back down if they raised it.