Narrative:

Bur airport was overcast at 600 ft with 7 SM visibility. Runway 8 was closed; therefore; I had to descend on the ILS to runway 8 and circle to runways 33/15. I made 2 attempts circling to runway 33. Both resulted in missed approachs. I noticed; however; the clouds were broken north of the field. On the third approach; I descended on the ILS runway 8; circling to runway 15. At the MDA; with runway 8 in sight; I circled for runway 15. While on the right downwind for runway 15 and clear of clouds; I lost sight of the airport due to my position in the left seat. After flying for what I assumed to be a reasonable distance for final; I made a continuous turn from downwind to final; descending from the MDA in order to remain clear of the clouds and regain visual contact with the airport. Upon turning final; I expected to see the airport. Unfortunately; during the turn I had become disoriented and was unable to find it. Bur tower immediately informed me that I was not aligned with the runway. I was well below the circling MDA and initiated the missed approach procedure. Descending below the MDA was a poor decision. Even though the airport was in sight when I initiated the circling maneuver; I left the MDA without any visual cues. A combination of unfamiliarity with that airport and inexperience in the aircraft contributed to the decision. If facing a similar situation again; I would not circle in a r-hand pattern. Thus; I could maintain visual contact with the airport at all times. Further; I would give myself longer downwind and final legs with more time to establish a stabilized approach from the MDA. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that it is not unusual for bur to close runway 8 for construction during nighttime hours.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CHARTER PLT LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH ARPT ENVIRONMENT DURING A CIRCLING APCH AND EXECUTED A MISSED APCH.

Narrative: BUR ARPT WAS OVCST AT 600 FT WITH 7 SM VISIBILITY. RWY 8 WAS CLOSED; THEREFORE; I HAD TO DSND ON THE ILS TO RWY 8 AND CIRCLE TO RWYS 33/15. I MADE 2 ATTEMPTS CIRCLING TO RWY 33. BOTH RESULTED IN MISSED APCHS. I NOTICED; HOWEVER; THE CLOUDS WERE BROKEN N OF THE FIELD. ON THE THIRD APCH; I DSNDED ON THE ILS RWY 8; CIRCLING TO RWY 15. AT THE MDA; WITH RWY 8 IN SIGHT; I CIRCLED FOR RWY 15. WHILE ON THE R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 15 AND CLR OF CLOUDS; I LOST SIGHT OF THE ARPT DUE TO MY POS IN THE L SEAT. AFTER FLYING FOR WHAT I ASSUMED TO BE A REASONABLE DISTANCE FOR FINAL; I MADE A CONTINUOUS TURN FROM DOWNWIND TO FINAL; DSNDING FROM THE MDA IN ORDER TO REMAIN CLR OF THE CLOUDS AND REGAIN VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE ARPT. UPON TURNING FINAL; I EXPECTED TO SEE THE ARPT. UNFORTUNATELY; DURING THE TURN I HAD BECOME DISORIENTED AND WAS UNABLE TO FIND IT. BUR TWR IMMEDIATELY INFORMED ME THAT I WAS NOT ALIGNED WITH THE RWY. I WAS WELL BELOW THE CIRCLING MDA AND INITIATED THE MISSED APCH PROC. DSNDING BELOW THE MDA WAS A POOR DECISION. EVEN THOUGH THE ARPT WAS IN SIGHT WHEN I INITIATED THE CIRCLING MANEUVER; I LEFT THE MDA WITHOUT ANY VISUAL CUES. A COMBINATION OF UNFAMILIARITY WITH THAT ARPT AND INEXPERIENCE IN THE ACFT CONTRIBUTED TO THE DECISION. IF FACING A SIMILAR SITUATION AGAIN; I WOULD NOT CIRCLE IN A R-HAND PATTERN. THUS; I COULD MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE ARPT AT ALL TIMES. FURTHER; I WOULD GIVE MYSELF LONGER DOWNWIND AND FINAL LEGS WITH MORE TIME TO ESTABLISH A STABILIZED APCH FROM THE MDA. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER STATED THAT IT IS NOT UNUSUAL FOR BUR TO CLOSE RWY 8 FOR CONSTRUCTION DURING NIGHTTIME HOURS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.