Narrative:

WX diversion to an on line airport. I read and briefed the approach but I did not reference the note. The circling minimums are 560 1 1/2 daytime. At night the notes specify higher visibility and ceilings of 2000', 4 mi, or 3000', 5 mi, depending on what's working. The problem arose because I had not used this airport that much. Contributing factors were early morning, long night. I discovered it because on the downwind the first officer asked me about the requirements. The circle was completed safely. Actual WX: 1800 broken, 2500 overcast, 5 mi. We updated it to 1800 overcast, 7-800 broken south of airport. Human performance factors: tired, and as a result my depth of analysis was not too great. We had already missed at our destination. At that time of the morning a small box with the number '1' just doesn't stick out. I had made an approach to this airport the previous night. I believe after considerable thought that I did not think about a circle until on final and the FSS gave us the current wind. The weight penalty for a tailwind is high and hydroplaning is easy on this runway surface. With these concerns, I chose to circle.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG MADE CIRCLING APCH IN WX REPORTED BELOW ARPT MINIMUMS FOR LNDG.

Narrative: WX DIVERSION TO AN ON LINE ARPT. I READ AND BRIEFED THE APCH BUT I DID NOT REF THE NOTE. THE CIRCLING MINIMUMS ARE 560 1 1/2 DAYTIME. AT NIGHT THE NOTES SPECIFY HIGHER VIS AND CEILINGS OF 2000', 4 MI, OR 3000', 5 MI, DEPENDING ON WHAT'S WORKING. THE PROB AROSE BECAUSE I HAD NOT USED THIS ARPT THAT MUCH. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE EARLY MORNING, LONG NIGHT. I DISCOVERED IT BECAUSE ON THE DOWNWIND THE F/O ASKED ME ABOUT THE REQUIREMENTS. THE CIRCLE WAS COMPLETED SAFELY. ACTUAL WX: 1800 BROKEN, 2500 OVCST, 5 MI. WE UPDATED IT TO 1800 OVCST, 7-800 BROKEN S OF ARPT. HUMAN PERFORMANCE FACTORS: TIRED, AND AS A RESULT MY DEPTH OF ANALYSIS WAS NOT TOO GREAT. WE HAD ALREADY MISSED AT OUR DEST. AT THAT TIME OF THE MORNING A SMALL BOX WITH THE NUMBER '1' JUST DOESN'T STICK OUT. I HAD MADE AN APCH TO THIS ARPT THE PREVIOUS NIGHT. I BELIEVE AFTER CONSIDERABLE THOUGHT THAT I DID NOT THINK ABOUT A CIRCLE UNTIL ON FINAL AND THE FSS GAVE US THE CURRENT WIND. THE WT PENALTY FOR A TAILWIND IS HIGH AND HYDROPLANING IS EASY ON THIS RWY SURFACE. WITH THESE CONCERNS, I CHOSE TO CIRCLE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.