GA pilot tried to make a circling approach to cno in WX reported below circling minimums.

Attributes
ACN	159793
Time
Date	199010
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cno
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 250 agl bound upper : 250
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cno
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Route In Use	approach : circling
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 1000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	159793
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Ont was reporting minimums (200-1/2), but I didn't see anything at dead heading and flew the missed approach procedure. Approach reported a successful approach into cno which had 300-1/2 with 250-1/2 minimums. Approach said ok. Saw the runway at dead heading, but was above G/south and fast. Tried to get down, but it became clear I would land too long. Applied power and called tower: 'I'd like to make a go around for the runway.' circling at 300', I could see portions of the airport, but not enough to align on downwind or line up on 26 again. I gave up and flew the missed approach and landed elsewhere VFR. I was so focused on landing I did not consider circling minimums. I should have missed immediately on seeing I couldn't land straight in. I have flow to minimum ceilings before, but never to minimum visibility. Breaking out into good visibility allows a good transition to landing. Poor visibility allows better visibility down than forward. This requires a very precisely flown approach (slow if the runway is short) in order to transition to visibility landing. This was an error on inaction--that of not executing the missed approach procedure immediately on reaching dead heading west/O landable runway ahead. It would have ben landable in an small aircraft, but in a larger small aircraft, carrying too much speed, it was not. The decision must be made quickly and execute west/O a second thought.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA PLT TRIED TO MAKE A CIRCLING APCH TO CNO IN WX REPORTED BELOW CIRCLING MINIMUMS.

Narrative: ONT WAS RPTING MINIMUMS (200-1/2), BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING AT DEAD HDG AND FLEW THE MISSED APCH PROC. APCH RPTED A SUCCESSFUL APCH INTO CNO WHICH HAD 300-1/2 WITH 250-1/2 MINIMUMS. APCH SAID OK. SAW THE RWY AT DEAD HDG, BUT WAS ABOVE G/S AND FAST. TRIED TO GET DOWN, BUT IT BECAME CLR I WOULD LAND TOO LONG. APPLIED PWR AND CALLED TWR: 'I'D LIKE TO MAKE A GAR FOR THE RWY.' CIRCLING AT 300', I COULD SEE PORTIONS OF THE ARPT, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO ALIGN ON DOWNWIND OR LINE UP ON 26 AGAIN. I GAVE UP AND FLEW THE MISSED APCH AND LANDED ELSEWHERE VFR. I WAS SO FOCUSED ON LNDG I DID NOT CONSIDER CIRCLING MINIMUMS. I SHOULD HAVE MISSED IMMEDIATELY ON SEEING I COULDN'T LAND STRAIGHT IN. I HAVE FLOW TO MINIMUM CEILINGS BEFORE, BUT NEVER TO MINIMUM VISIBILITY. BREAKING OUT INTO GOOD VISIBILITY ALLOWS A GOOD TRANSITION TO LNDG. POOR VISIBILITY ALLOWS BETTER VISIBILITY DOWN THAN FORWARD. THIS REQUIRES A VERY PRECISELY FLOWN APCH (SLOW IF THE RWY IS SHORT) IN ORDER TO TRANSITION TO VIS LNDG. THIS WAS AN ERROR ON INACTION--THAT OF NOT EXECUTING THE MISSED APCH PROC IMMEDIATELY ON REACHING DEAD HDG W/O LANDABLE RWY AHEAD. IT WOULD HAVE BEN LANDABLE IN AN SMA, BUT IN A LARGER SMA, CARRYING TOO MUCH SPD, IT WAS NOT. THE DECISION MUST BE MADE QUICKLY AND EXECUTE W/O A SECOND THOUGHT.

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.