Narrative:

I was flying on an INS flight plan from 29G to 1g3. The aircraft had only 1 VOR receiver. The VOR a approach called for a 2020 MDA west/O identing mulik intersection and 1200 when mulik was idented. After being cleared and established on the inbound leg I descended to 2020. Because of being in and out of the clouds, prominent landmarks were able to be idented, which made me aware that the airport was very close. Popping out of the clouds again, the airport became visible. Knowing that there was not tall obstruction around and being inside the airport boundaries, I descended down to 1700' MSL to try to stay out of the clouds and make a pattern. I then made a crosswind for 01 midfield and proceeded to turn downwind. On downwind the airport became partially obscured, but at all times it was clearly identable, several times. Turning base the runway was lost because of the wing and then was seen when the wing was lifted. Then on the middle of base leg the runway was lost because of a cloud. The missed approach was initiated. Heading back to the VOR the controller stated that he received a low altitude alert and that he had 1700' for an altitude. I said that I was in the pattern for kent state at 1700' and went missed when I lost sight of the airport. I then missed on the second approach and landed off a localizer approach into cak. Some of the factors that influenced me to try the approach were get homeitis, and 'if another person made it in, so can I.' my question is that the far's state that a pilot may use normal maneuvering to land at an airport. Does that mean you can fly a lower approach or pattern if the airport is in sight and you can see no obstacles. I chose to descend down to 1700' because that is the mulik circling minimums. Because mulik marks where the highest obstruction is to be passed, I knew I had obstacle clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ON VOR-A APCH DESCENDS BELOW MDH PREMATURELY.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING ON AN INS FLT PLAN FROM 29G TO 1G3. THE ACFT HAD ONLY 1 VOR RECEIVER. THE VOR A APCH CALLED FOR A 2020 MDA W/O IDENTING MULIK INTXN AND 1200 WHEN MULIK WAS IDENTED. AFTER BEING CLRED AND ESTABLISHED ON THE INBND LEG I DSNDED TO 2020. BECAUSE OF BEING IN AND OUT OF THE CLOUDS, PROMINENT LANDMARKS WERE ABLE TO BE IDENTED, WHICH MADE ME AWARE THAT THE ARPT WAS VERY CLOSE. POPPING OUT OF THE CLOUDS AGAIN, THE ARPT BECAME VISIBLE. KNOWING THAT THERE WAS NOT TALL OBSTRUCTION AROUND AND BEING INSIDE THE ARPT BOUNDARIES, I DSNDED DOWN TO 1700' MSL TO TRY TO STAY OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND MAKE A PATTERN. I THEN MADE A XWIND FOR 01 MIDFIELD AND PROCEEDED TO TURN DOWNWIND. ON DOWNWIND THE ARPT BECAME PARTIALLY OBSCURED, BUT AT ALL TIMES IT WAS CLEARLY IDENTABLE, SEVERAL TIMES. TURNING BASE THE RWY WAS LOST BECAUSE OF THE WING AND THEN WAS SEEN WHEN THE WING WAS LIFTED. THEN ON THE MIDDLE OF BASE LEG THE RWY WAS LOST BECAUSE OF A CLOUD. THE MISSED APCH WAS INITIATED. HDG BACK TO THE VOR THE CTLR STATED THAT HE RECEIVED A LOW ALT ALERT AND THAT HE HAD 1700' FOR AN ALT. I SAID THAT I WAS IN THE PATTERN FOR KENT STATE AT 1700' AND WENT MISSED WHEN I LOST SIGHT OF THE ARPT. I THEN MISSED ON THE SECOND APCH AND LANDED OFF A LOC APCH INTO CAK. SOME OF THE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCED ME TO TRY THE APCH WERE GET HOMEITIS, AND 'IF ANOTHER PERSON MADE IT IN, SO CAN I.' MY QUESTION IS THAT THE FAR'S STATE THAT A PLT MAY USE NORMAL MANEUVERING TO LAND AT AN ARPT. DOES THAT MEAN YOU CAN FLY A LOWER APCH OR PATTERN IF THE ARPT IS IN SIGHT AND YOU CAN SEE NO OBSTACLES. I CHOSE TO DSND DOWN TO 1700' BECAUSE THAT IS THE MULIK CIRCLING MINIMUMS. BECAUSE MULIK MARKS WHERE THE HIGHEST OBSTRUCTION IS TO BE PASSED, I KNEW I HAD OBSTACLE CLRNC.

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.