C185 pilot questions feasibility of published minimums on approach chart in san airspace.

Attributes
ACN	421892
Time
Date	199812
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sdm
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skywagon 185
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Route In Use	approach : circling arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 2800 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	421892
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

The main thing I am filing this report is to state that I feel the VOR approach to brown field is difficult -- almost to the point of being dangerous with the existing minimums. It is difficult to identify the field with low visibility from some 2 mi out, make a turn keeping the field in contact, and setting up for landing. My airplane is relatively slow, but in a heavier, faster aircraft I would think it would be very difficult with those minimums. I had contact momentarily then lost it and made a missed approach with a subsequent landing at lindbergh. Incidentally, the briefing indicated 1800 ft scattered, 3000 ft overcast with improving conditions. That was not the case.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C185 PLT QUESTIONS FEASIBILITY OF PUBLISHED MINIMUMS ON APCH CHART IN SAN AIRSPACE.

Narrative: THE MAIN THING I AM FILING THIS RPT IS TO STATE THAT I FEEL THE VOR APCH TO BROWN FIELD IS DIFFICULT -- ALMOST TO THE POINT OF BEING DANGEROUS WITH THE EXISTING MINIMUMS. IT IS DIFFICULT TO IDENT THE FIELD WITH LOW VISIBILITY FROM SOME 2 MI OUT, MAKE A TURN KEEPING THE FIELD IN CONTACT, AND SETTING UP FOR LNDG. MY AIRPLANE IS RELATIVELY SLOW, BUT IN A HEAVIER, FASTER ACFT I WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT WITH THOSE MINIMUMS. I HAD CONTACT MOMENTARILY THEN LOST IT AND MADE A MISSED APCH WITH A SUBSEQUENT LNDG AT LINDBERGH. INCIDENTALLY, THE BRIEFING INDICATED 1800 FT SCATTERED, 3000 FT OVCST WITH IMPROVING CONDITIONS. THAT WAS NOT THE CASE.

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.