Narrative:

I flew two approachs on an IFR flight plan to oak international on oct/wed/01, both of which resulted in missed approach procedures. This was the first time outside of training flts that I had to do missed approachs. The conditions were VFR with good visibility during the flight and during the transition to the final approach to the ILS 27R. A low fog layer was present with the tops around 1200 ft. ATIS was reporting a 200 ft ceiling. On the first approach I did not engage the ILS in time and crossed the final approach course, returning to it and aligning however too high to complete the approach. I declared a missed approach while still in VFR conditions and received radar vectors for a second approach. The second approach was left in the autoplt mode and flown to the decision height, at which point no visual contact was made with the runway and the missed approach declared. I received radar vectors to V244 and canceled IFR as I exited class B airspace. I must admit to being uncomfortable dealing with such a low minimum and have established a personal limit of no lower than 400 ft for the future. My concern with this process is that unless one has considerable experience flying to IFR minimums he should not attempt such approachs. I believe there should be a standard established and published requiring significantly more real life approachs for one to attempt a minimums approach. Without that background one would be limited to say 400 ft ceilings, still a challenge however with room left for error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: M20P PLT FLEW AN APCH TO DH AT OAK.

Narrative: I FLEW TWO APCHS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO OAK INTERNATIONAL ON OCT/WED/01, BOTH OF WHICH RESULTED IN MISSED APCH PROCEDURES. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME OUTSIDE OF TRAINING FLTS THAT I HAD TO DO MISSED APCHS. THE CONDITIONS WERE VFR WITH GOOD VISIBILITY DURING THE FLT AND DURING THE TRANSITION TO THE FINAL APCH TO THE ILS 27R. A LOW FOG LAYER WAS PRESENT WITH THE TOPS AROUND 1200 FT. ATIS WAS REPORTING A 200 FT CEILING. ON THE FIRST APCH I DID NOT ENGAGE THE ILS IN TIME AND CROSSED THE FINAL APCH COURSE, RETURNING TO IT AND ALIGNING HOWEVER TOO HIGH TO COMPLETE THE APCH. I DECLARED A MISSED APCH WHILE STILL IN VFR CONDITIONS AND RECEIVED RADAR VECTORS FOR A SECOND APCH. THE SECOND APCH WAS LEFT IN THE AUTOPLT MODE AND FLOWN TO THE DECISION HEIGHT, AT WHICH POINT NO VISUAL CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE RWY AND THE MISSED APCH DECLARED. I RECEIVED RADAR VECTORS TO V244 AND CANCELED IFR AS I EXITED CLASS B AIRSPACE. I MUST ADMIT TO BEING UNCOMFORTABLE DEALING WITH SUCH A LOW MINIMUM AND HAVE ESTABLISHED A PERSONAL LIMIT OF NO LOWER THAN 400 FT FOR THE FUTURE. MY CONCERN WITH THIS PROCESS IS THAT UNLESS ONE HAS CONSIDERABLE EXPERIENCE FLYING TO IFR MINIMUMS HE SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT SUCH APCHS. I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE A STD ESTABLISHED AND PUBLISHED REQUIRING SIGNIFICANTLY MORE REAL LIFE APCHS FOR ONE TO ATTEMPT A MINIMUMS APCH. WITHOUT THAT BACKGROUND ONE WOULD BE LIMITED TO SAY 400 FT CEILINGS, STILL A CHALLENGE HOWEVER WITH ROOM LEFT FOR ERROR.

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.