Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan from mqj (indianapolis) to osu (columbus, oh). I checked the WX several times online and via flight service, over a concern with possible convective activity that day on my flight path either going or returning. The trip over was uneventful. Osu ATIS reported minus 1/4 mi visibility. Osu tower upgraded to plus 1/4 mi visibility and reported RVR 6000 ft at cmh. I did not heed that clue and misinterped the upgrade as above minimums and flew the approach to 50 ft above the map and went missed. I could see the airport as I passed over it. Without double-checking my visibility minimum assumption, I decided to make a second approach, and, if missed, go to cmh. I asked for and was given vectors for a second try. This time I flew the ILS to the map, began to push power for the missed, saw the runway clearly just off center to the right of center as I was keying the microphone to announce the missed, and instead said 'there it is' and landed cleanly. As I taxied in, I looked across the airport, thought to myself that actual visibility must easily be twice the minimum, look at the approach plate again and realized what I had just done. Analysis: I had all necessary information, navaids, knowledge and skill to fly safely, follow the rules, and, in this case, land at cmh. I made a serious error which, in a more demanding environment, may have been disastrous. I had my wife and daughter with me, and thank god for providing safety where I did not. With low total time, I had pursued the additional training for multi/instrument/commercial not for employment but to be a better trained and safer pilot. This error was as strong a lesson as any from my training, and will be with me as a safety reminder during my pre-approach review for every IMC approach I fly from now on.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C206 LOW TIME PLT FLEW TO WX MINIMUMS THAT ACR PLTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO AT OSU.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM MQJ (INDIANAPOLIS) TO OSU (COLUMBUS, OH). I CHKED THE WX SEVERAL TIMES ONLINE AND VIA FLT SVC, OVER A CONCERN WITH POSSIBLE CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY THAT DAY ON MY FLT PATH EITHER GOING OR RETURNING. THE TRIP OVER WAS UNEVENTFUL. OSU ATIS RPTED MINUS 1/4 MI VISIBILITY. OSU TWR UPGRADED TO PLUS 1/4 MI VISIBILITY AND RPTED RVR 6000 FT AT CMH. I DID NOT HEED THAT CLUE AND MISINTERPED THE UPGRADE AS ABOVE MINIMUMS AND FLEW THE APCH TO 50 FT ABOVE THE MAP AND WENT MISSED. I COULD SEE THE ARPT AS I PASSED OVER IT. WITHOUT DOUBLE-CHKING MY VISIBILITY MINIMUM ASSUMPTION, I DECIDED TO MAKE A SECOND APCH, AND, IF MISSED, GO TO CMH. I ASKED FOR AND WAS GIVEN VECTORS FOR A SECOND TRY. THIS TIME I FLEW THE ILS TO THE MAP, BEGAN TO PUSH PWR FOR THE MISSED, SAW THE RWY CLRLY JUST OFF CTR TO THE R OF CTR AS I WAS KEYING THE MIKE TO ANNOUNCE THE MISSED, AND INSTEAD SAID 'THERE IT IS' AND LANDED CLEANLY. AS I TAXIED IN, I LOOKED ACROSS THE ARPT, THOUGHT TO MYSELF THAT ACTUAL VISIBILITY MUST EASILY BE TWICE THE MINIMUM, LOOK AT THE APCH PLATE AGAIN AND REALIZED WHAT I HAD JUST DONE. ANALYSIS: I HAD ALL NECESSARY INFO, NAVAIDS, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL TO FLY SAFELY, FOLLOW THE RULES, AND, IN THIS CASE, LAND AT CMH. I MADE A SERIOUS ERROR WHICH, IN A MORE DEMANDING ENVIRONMENT, MAY HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. I HAD MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER WITH ME, AND THANK GOD FOR PROVIDING SAFETY WHERE I DID NOT. WITH LOW TOTAL TIME, I HAD PURSUED THE ADDITIONAL TRAINING FOR MULTI/INST/COMMERCIAL NOT FOR EMPLOYMENT BUT TO BE A BETTER TRAINED AND SAFER PLT. THIS ERROR WAS AS STRONG A LESSON AS ANY FROM MY TRAINING, AND WILL BE WITH ME AS A SAFETY REMINDER DURING MY PRE-APCH REVIEW FOR EVERY IMC APCH I FLY FROM NOW ON.

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.