Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 80; Flight Crew Total 525; Flight Crew Type 30
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure
Conflict NMAC; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airport; Human Factors
As we were getting vectors for the approach RNAV 7L; I; the instructor; was handling the radios and the student was flying the aircraft. During our approach clearance from ATC the student said; 'Look do you see that?' He pointed up and about 1:30 clock reference. When I looked I saw 2 white lights about a wingspan length apart and from what I believe was an aircraft descending on top of us. I took the controls and bank and pitched the aircraft down and descended to 1;000 MSL. A total amount of 600 FT was lost in the event. I reported to ATC what I have done and my reasoning and then they asked if I would like vectors around for another approach to which we agreed with. While getting vectors for the approach again; ATC reported to us that there was no aircraft in the area that could have been a conflict with our flight path. We continued the approach and landing uneventful. In the debrief between the student and I we came to an agreement that what we saw was an aircraft of some caliber descending on top of us. The student and I did not see a landing light; position lights; or strobe lights. All we saw was 2 white recognition lights coming down on top of us. The student saw the aircraft maneuver away from us as we started our descending left bank turn.
An instructor took the aircraft from his student after they saw two aircraft lights descend into them while in an instrument approach to DAB. ATC reported no nearby traffic.