Narrative:

I was on the RNAV 28 approach into east hampton, ny (hto). I descended to mins, 500 ft near the missed approach. I saw the runway environment and descended another 100 ft for what I thought would be a normal landing. However, I was to the left of the runway centerline and about halfway down the runway still at 400 ft. I elected to circle and land and climbed to circling mins of 560 ft. The landing was entered from a downwind to base to a normal landing. However, there was another aircraft holding off the runway waiting for me to cancel my IFR once on the ground. As soon as I landed the WX deteriorated significantly to perhaps 200 overcast, 1 mi in fog. At the time of my landing it was 600 overcast 2 mi. The reason I am writing this letter is because about 6 yrs ago I was turned into the FAA for flying in the clouds below landing mins. Hopefully the airplane waiting on the ground this time wasn't disputing my approach but the WX here on long island goes up and down rapidly. In retrospect, I would have felt more comfortable missing this approach instead of circling but I thought if I had to try again the WX would be below landing mins so I continued and circled.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT DSNDS BELOW STRAIGHT IN MINS, CIRCLES TO LAND WHEN HE FINDS HIMSELF UNABLE TO LAND ON RWY FROM THE INITIAL APCH.

Narrative: I WAS ON THE RNAV 28 APCH INTO E HAMPTON, NY (HTO). I DSNDED TO MINS, 500 FT NEAR THE MISSED APCH. I SAW THE RWY ENVIRONMENT AND DSNDED ANOTHER 100 FT FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WOULD BE A NORMAL LNDG. HOWEVER, I WAS TO THE L OF THE RWY CENTERLINE AND ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN THE RWY STILL AT 400 FT. I ELECTED TO CIRCLE AND LAND AND CLBED TO CIRCLING MINS OF 560 FT. THE LNDG WAS ENTERED FROM A DOWNWIND TO BASE TO A NORMAL LNDG. HOWEVER, THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT HOLDING OFF THE RWY WAITING FOR ME TO CANCEL MY IFR ONCE ON THE GND. AS SOON AS I LANDED THE WX DETERIORATED SIGNIFICANTLY TO PERHAPS 200 OVERCAST, 1 MI IN FOG. AT THE TIME OF MY LNDG IT WAS 600 OVERCAST 2 MI. THE REASON I AM WRITING THIS LETTER IS BECAUSE ABOUT 6 YRS AGO I WAS TURNED INTO THE FAA FOR FLYING IN THE CLOUDS BELOW LNDG MINS. HOPEFULLY THE AIRPLANE WAITING ON THE GND THIS TIME WASN'T DISPUTING MY APCH BUT THE WX HERE ON LONG ISLAND GOES UP AND DOWN RAPIDLY. IN RETROSPECT, I WOULD HAVE FELT MORE COMFORTABLE MISSING THIS APCH INSTEAD OF CIRCLING BUT I THOUGHT IF I HAD TO TRY AGAIN THE WX WOULD BE BELOW LNDG MINS SO I CONTINUED AND CIRCLED.

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.