Narrative:

We had been cleared for a visual approach to runway 17 at sps. When the gear was selected down, the landing gear control circuit breaker popped, which left us with a gear unsafe light. We requested to be vectored into a hold. We were initially told to hold on the 270 degree radial off the sps VORTAC, then moved out to the 5 DME fix. I was flying and working ATC on the radio, while the first officer was going through checklist and talking to moc on the #2 radio. We were able to get the gear down and locked. I requested that we begin the approach. We were cleared back to the VORTAC. The first officer at that time took over the ATC radio again. Normal procedure is to cross the VORTAC at 2300 ft for the visual. Since I was so close, I started a slow descent out of 3200 ft and asked the first officer if we were cleared for the visual. I was not sure if I had been given a visual when I was told to go to the VORTAC. The controller asked us our altitude. We were at 3000 ft. We told him we had the field, and at that time he stated that we were cleared for a visual approach. We had requested crash fire rescue equipment to stand by and ATC had informed us that because of that, the tower had declared us an emergency. We continued in to land without further problem. This was only a 200 ft deviation and I was not going any lower until I had verified an approach clearance. I also wanted to be in a position to meet the 2300 ft crossing at the VORTAC. This area is a high density military environment operated by military ATC. They were very cooperative and worked very well with us through our gear problem. I am not aware of any traffic conflicts, but taking all factors into consideration, I felt compelled to report the 200 ft altitude deviation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER THE CAPT OF AN LTT TURBOPROP CAME OUT AIR HOLDING FOR SOLVING A LNDG GEAR EXTENSION PROB, HE DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT PRIOR TO BEING CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH.

Narrative: WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 17 AT SPS. WHEN THE GEAR WAS SELECTED DOWN, THE LNDG GEAR CTL CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED, WHICH LEFT US WITH A GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT. WE REQUESTED TO BE VECTORED INTO A HOLD. WE WERE INITIALLY TOLD TO HOLD ON THE 270 DEG RADIAL OFF THE SPS VORTAC, THEN MOVED OUT TO THE 5 DME FIX. I WAS FLYING AND WORKING ATC ON THE RADIO, WHILE THE FO WAS GOING THROUGH CHKLIST AND TALKING TO MOC ON THE #2 RADIO. WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED. I REQUESTED THAT WE BEGIN THE APCH. WE WERE CLRED BACK TO THE VORTAC. THE FO AT THAT TIME TOOK OVER THE ATC RADIO AGAIN. NORMAL PROC IS TO CROSS THE VORTAC AT 2300 FT FOR THE VISUAL. SINCE I WAS SO CLOSE, I STARTED A SLOW DSCNT OUT OF 3200 FT AND ASKED THE FO IF WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL. I WAS NOT SURE IF I HAD BEEN GIVEN A VISUAL WHEN I WAS TOLD TO GO TO THE VORTAC. THE CTLR ASKED US OUR ALT. WE WERE AT 3000 FT. WE TOLD HIM WE HAD THE FIELD, AND AT THAT TIME HE STATED THAT WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH. WE HAD REQUESTED CFR TO STAND BY AND ATC HAD INFORMED US THAT BECAUSE OF THAT, THE TWR HAD DECLARED US AN EMER. WE CONTINUED IN TO LAND WITHOUT FURTHER PROB. THIS WAS ONLY A 200 FT DEV AND I WAS NOT GOING ANY LOWER UNTIL I HAD VERIFIED AN APCH CLRNC. I ALSO WANTED TO BE IN A POS TO MEET THE 2300 FT XING AT THE VORTAC. THIS AREA IS A HIGH DENSITY MIL ENVIRONMENT OPERATED BY MIL ATC. THEY WERE VERY COOPERATIVE AND WORKED VERY WELL WITH US THROUGH OUR GEAR PROB. I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY TFC CONFLICTS, BUT TAKING ALL FACTORS INTO CONSIDERATION, I FELT COMPELLED TO RPT THE 200 FT ALTDEV.

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.