Narrative:

Obtained WX for wkend trip with passenger to the akron area with 3 options for destination airports. Since WX was at minimums for most of the non precision approachs, I eliminated first choice which had a VOR approach with station 21 mi from field. Selected option 2 with localizer/DME approach and knew option 3 had an ILS less than 10 mins if option 2 was below minimums. Prior to arrival at akr, I obtained the local WX and briefed myself on the procedure, but not the circle-to-land minimums. I missed on first approach due to pilot making a poor approach and advised controller, if missed again, going to option 3 with the ILS. During the approach, I mentally prepared myself to go missed again with the approach being just a formality. 0.1 mi prior to the DME, I was about to add power for the missed when we broke out right at the base of the clouds and aligned with the runway. While I am not required by my medical certification to wear corrective lenses, I carry reading glasses on a lanyard around my neck to read charts because with age, my eyes for reading are changing rapidly, but was not wearing them. I looked on the chart for the circling minimums and misread the figure to read the same as the straight-in minimums. As I turned left and flew over a tall building on the field, it was obvious that I was not at the correct circle-to-land altitude which was 100 ft above the straight-in minimum. A landing was made without further incident, but in retrospect, a missed decision would have been the safer choice.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C182 PLT DSNDED BELOW CIRCLING MINIMUMS AFTER THE PLT MISREAD THE APCH CHART. THE PLT WAS NOT WEARING HIS READING GLASSES.

Narrative: OBTAINED WX FOR WKEND TRIP WITH PAX TO THE AKRON AREA WITH 3 OPTIONS FOR DEST ARPTS. SINCE WX WAS AT MINIMUMS FOR MOST OF THE NON PRECISION APCHS, I ELIMINATED FIRST CHOICE WHICH HAD A VOR APCH WITH STATION 21 MI FROM FIELD. SELECTED OPTION 2 WITH LOC/DME APCH AND KNEW OPTION 3 HAD AN ILS LESS THAN 10 MINS IF OPTION 2 WAS BELOW MINIMUMS. PRIOR TO ARR AT AKR, I OBTAINED THE LCL WX AND BRIEFED MYSELF ON THE PROC, BUT NOT THE CIRCLE-TO-LAND MINIMUMS. I MISSED ON FIRST APCH DUE TO PLT MAKING A POOR APCH AND ADVISED CTLR, IF MISSED AGAIN, GOING TO OPTION 3 WITH THE ILS. DURING THE APCH, I MENTALLY PREPARED MYSELF TO GO MISSED AGAIN WITH THE APCH BEING JUST A FORMALITY. 0.1 MI PRIOR TO THE DME, I WAS ABOUT TO ADD PWR FOR THE MISSED WHEN WE BROKE OUT RIGHT AT THE BASE OF THE CLOUDS AND ALIGNED WITH THE RWY. WHILE I AM NOT REQUIRED BY MY MEDICAL CERTIFICATION TO WEAR CORRECTIVE LENSES, I CARRY READING GLASSES ON A LANYARD AROUND MY NECK TO READ CHARTS BECAUSE WITH AGE, MY EYES FOR READING ARE CHANGING RAPIDLY, BUT WAS NOT WEARING THEM. I LOOKED ON THE CHART FOR THE CIRCLING MINIMUMS AND MISREAD THE FIGURE TO READ THE SAME AS THE STRAIGHT-IN MINIMUMS. AS I TURNED L AND FLEW OVER A TALL BUILDING ON THE FIELD, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT I WAS NOT AT THE CORRECT CIRCLE-TO-LAND ALT WHICH WAS 100 FT ABOVE THE STRAIGHT-IN MINIMUM. A LNDG WAS MADE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT, BUT IN RETROSPECT, A MISSED DECISION WOULD HAVE BEEN THE SAFER CHOICE.

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.