Pilot of an small aircraft sel aircraft descended below assigned vectoring altitude due to the distraction of not observing landing gear down indication lights.

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Attributes
ACN	258307
Time
Date	199312
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : isp
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1700 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 1500 flight time type : 30
ASRS Report	258307
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While being vectored for ILS 6 into islip, I attempted to lower landing gear and did not get '3 green' (landing gear down and locked) indication. ATC clearance: maintain 2000 until established. Due to concern with gear, inadvertently descended to 1700 ft (note: ATC advised of altitude as I was returning to assigned altitude) then recovered. Tower verified gear down, returned to republic airport and landed without incident. When on ground, discovered that reason for not getting '3 green lights' was due to fact that navigation lights were on (small aircraft sel) and lights cannot be seen in daylight. Landing gear lights should show up in daylight even with navigation lights on!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL ACFT DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED VECTORING ALT DUE TO THE DISTR OF NOT OBSERVING LNDG GEAR DOWN INDICATION LIGHTS.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR ILS 6 INTO ISLIP, I ATTEMPTED TO LOWER LNDG GEAR AND DID NOT GET '3 GREEN' (LNDG GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED) INDICATION. ATC CLRNC: MAINTAIN 2000 UNTIL ESTABLISHED. DUE TO CONCERN WITH GEAR, INADVERTENTLY DSNDED TO 1700 FT (NOTE: ATC ADVISED OF ALT AS I WAS RETURNING TO ASSIGNED ALT) THEN RECOVERED. TWR VERIFIED GEAR DOWN, RETURNED TO REPUBLIC ARPT AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. WHEN ON GND, DISCOVERED THAT REASON FOR NOT GETTING '3 GREEN LIGHTS' WAS DUE TO FACT THAT NAV LIGHTS WERE ON (SMA SEL) AND LIGHTS CANNOT BE SEEN IN DAYLIGHT. LNDG GEAR LIGHTS SHOULD SHOW UP IN DAYLIGHT EVEN WITH NAV LIGHTS ON!

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.