Narrative:

ATIS at myf was 300 ft overcast, visibility 1-3 mi in fog, winds 120 degrees 9 KTS. I called ZLA about 80 NM from myf and requested IFR clearance. I have flown ILS runway 28R approach over 100 times, including 10-15 times with ceiling less than 500 ft. Unfortunately, the unusual easterly wind resulted in a circle-to-land clearance to runway 10. This information did not register correctly in my brain so I proceeded on the approach. I flew in the clouds for 20 min from 7500 ft right down the ILS to the ground. I broke out at 300-400 ft AGL right over the approach lights. The tower instructed me to make a circling approach to runway 10L. In retrospect, the minimum descent altitude for the approach is 457 ft. I was unable to make a normal approach and descent to landing so I declared a missed approach after 2 attempts to circle the airport. After I climbed through the overcast and to VFR on-top, I proceeded to my alternate airport, borrego springs. While en route, the socal departure controller asked me for my name which I gave him. He did not inform me that I did anything inappropriate, but I do believe that I did make at least 2 errors that day. First, I failed to recognize that I was cleared for the ILS runway 28R, circle-to-land runway 10R/left approach which has a higher minimum descent altitude than the straight in ILS runway 28R approach. Second, I made an error in judgement by attempting the circle-to-land when I could not make a 'normal approach and descent to landing.' at xa:00 that day, I successfully made a straight in ILS runway 28R approach with a 500 ft overcast ceiling.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT DSNDS BELOW MINS FOR THE ILS CIRCLE TO LAND APCH.

Narrative: ATIS AT MYF WAS 300 FT OVCST, VISIBILITY 1-3 MI IN FOG, WINDS 120 DEGS 9 KTS. I CALLED ZLA ABOUT 80 NM FROM MYF AND REQUESTED IFR CLRNC. I HAVE FLOWN ILS RWY 28R APCH OVER 100 TIMES, INCLUDING 10-15 TIMES WITH CEILING LESS THAN 500 FT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE UNUSUAL EASTERLY WIND RESULTED IN A CIRCLE-TO-LAND CLRNC TO RWY 10. THIS INFO DID NOT REGISTER CORRECTLY IN MY BRAIN SO I PROCEEDED ON THE APCH. I FLEW IN THE CLOUDS FOR 20 MIN FROM 7500 FT RIGHT DOWN THE ILS TO THE GND. I BROKE OUT AT 300-400 FT AGL RIGHT OVER THE APCH LIGHTS. THE TWR INSTRUCTED ME TO MAKE A CIRCLING APCH TO RWY 10L. IN RETROSPECT, THE MINIMUM DSCNT ALT FOR THE APCH IS 457 FT. I WAS UNABLE TO MAKE A NORMAL APCH AND DSCNT TO LNDG SO I DECLARED A MISSED APCH AFTER 2 ATTEMPTS TO CIRCLE THE ARPT. AFTER I CLBED THROUGH THE OVCST AND TO VFR ON-TOP, I PROCEEDED TO MY ALTERNATE ARPT, BORREGO SPRINGS. WHILE ENRTE, THE SOCAL DEP CTLR ASKED ME FOR MY NAME WHICH I GAVE HIM. HE DID NOT INFORM ME THAT I DID ANYTHING INAPPROPRIATE, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT I DID MAKE AT LEAST 2 ERRORS THAT DAY. FIRST, I FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THAT I WAS CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 28R, CIRCLE-TO-LAND RWY 10R/L APCH WHICH HAS A HIGHER MINIMUM DSCNT ALT THAN THE STRAIGHT IN ILS RWY 28R APCH. SECOND, I MADE AN ERROR IN JUDGEMENT BY ATTEMPTING THE CIRCLE-TO-LAND WHEN I COULD NOT MAKE A 'NORMAL APCH AND DSCNT TO LNDG.' AT XA:00 THAT DAY, I SUCCESSFULLY MADE A STRAIGHT IN ILS RWY 28R APCH WITH A 500 FT OVCST CEILING.

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.