Narrative:

Lubbock ATIS was calling for a scattered layer around 2000 ft. When approximately 15 mi out tower said clouds were moving in from the north and an approach would be necessary. I flew the ILS runway 26 circle to land on runway 8. I was cleared by the tower to enter a left downwind and cleared to land on runway 8. I was able to make visual contact with the runway at the minimums on the chart. I was expecting to break out much higher based on what the tower was saying. After becoming visual with the runway, I could see that it was getting worse to the north and ceiling was dropping fast. Instead of entering a left downwind, I flew a low approach over the runway followed by a teardrop and landing for fear of losing the airport by entering the downwind. While on final, I advised the tower that the WX was getting lower in places. Immediately after I had made that advisory, tower came on and said new ATIS was available still calling for 1500- 2000 ft scattered. Again while taxiing in, I again advised them that it was around 300 ft overcast in certain areas around the field. While flying the low approach I descended about 150 ft below the circling minimums unintentionally because I was watching the clouds and airport outside. Factors that I felt that contributed to the problem was inadequate information from the tower. Not once do I recall being informed about the lowering cloud deck.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A BE18 TWIN BEECH FAILED TO FOLLOW TWR'S CIRCLE- TO-LAND INSTRUCTIONS WHEN PASSING OVER THE RWY INSTEAD OF MAKING A L DOWNWIND FOR CIRCLING DUE TO LOW CLOUDS IN THE CIRCLING AREA.

Narrative: LUBBOCK ATIS WAS CALLING FOR A SCATTERED LAYER AROUND 2000 FT. WHEN APPROX 15 MI OUT TWR SAID CLOUDS WERE MOVING IN FROM THE N AND AN APCH WOULD BE NECESSARY. I FLEW THE ILS RWY 26 CIRCLE TO LAND ON RWY 8. I WAS CLRED BY THE TWR TO ENTER A L DOWNWIND AND CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 8. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RWY AT THE MINIMUMS ON THE CHART. I WAS EXPECTING TO BREAK OUT MUCH HIGHER BASED ON WHAT THE TWR WAS SAYING. AFTER BECOMING VISUAL WITH THE RWY, I COULD SEE THAT IT WAS GETTING WORSE TO THE N AND CEILING WAS DROPPING FAST. INSTEAD OF ENTERING A L DOWNWIND, I FLEW A LOW APCH OVER THE RWY FOLLOWED BY A TEARDROP AND LNDG FOR FEAR OF LOSING THE ARPT BY ENTERING THE DOWNWIND. WHILE ON FINAL, I ADVISED THE TWR THAT THE WX WAS GETTING LOWER IN PLACES. IMMEDIATELY AFTER I HAD MADE THAT ADVISORY, TWR CAME ON AND SAID NEW ATIS WAS AVAILABLE STILL CALLING FOR 1500- 2000 FT SCATTERED. AGAIN WHILE TAXIING IN, I AGAIN ADVISED THEM THAT IT WAS AROUND 300 FT OVCST IN CERTAIN AREAS AROUND THE FIELD. WHILE FLYING THE LOW APCH I DSNDED ABOUT 150 FT BELOW THE CIRCLING MINIMUMS UNINTENTIONALLY BECAUSE I WAS WATCHING THE CLOUDS AND ARPT OUTSIDE. FACTORS THAT I FELT THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROB WAS INADEQUATE INFO FROM THE TWR. NOT ONCE DO I RECALL BEING INFORMED ABOUT THE LOWERING CLOUD DECK.

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.