Narrative:

I was cleared for the localizer 22 approach to newport by quonset approach. Quonset advised the passage of smari, the 6 mi FAF and released me to advisory frequency. I reported inbound on the localizer approach, 5 mi final. The unicom frequency 122.8 was occupied for a period of time by traffic at other fields, and I occupied for a period of time by traffic at other fields, and I heard 'newport traffic, say position.' I reported a 2 mi final for 22, and the pilot then concentrated on the approach which would obviously be to minimums due to a low ceiling of fog. The airport area became visible before map by time, so I descended below the 680' MDA for straight in. The ceiling was variable, however and I flew through lower fog. The pilot became briefly disoriented and drifted right of course, resulting in a 4-DOT needle deflection. I corrected and continued, breaking out again over the threshold at approximately 500'. The pilot did not believe straight in would be possible, and turned right 30 degrees to circle left and land runway 4. However, surface winds did not encourage a downwind landing and I broke off the approach to runway 4 at 50', climbing to the right. A very steep descending left turn followed, allowing a crosswind landing on runway 16. Upon beginning the left turn I noticed a helicopter lifting off at the intersection of the 2 runways. I continued just past the helicopter and landed, stopping just short of the end of the runway. The pilot of the helicopter was concerned that I was not aware of the helicopter's presence. Having flown a very tight and somewhat unusual circle-to-land pattern due to visibility restrictions, I am concerned about the safety of a helicopter practicing air taxiing very close to the runways of an uncontrolled airport with aircraft shooting approachs to land and WX obviously at minimums. A circle-to-land approach is very difficult, especially in low visibility. I believe all runways should be available to an aircraft on an approach to an uncontrolled field when the field is IFR. Any unusual movement perceived as unpredictable by a pilot attempting to land is very distracting and potentially dangerous.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA DESCENDED BELOW MINIMUMS AND MADE AN UNAUTHORIZED CIRCLING APCH.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED FOR THE LOC 22 APCH TO NEWPORT BY QUONSET APCH. QUONSET ADVISED THE PASSAGE OF SMARI, THE 6 MI FAF AND RELEASED ME TO ADVISORY FREQ. I RPTED INBND ON THE LOC APCH, 5 MI FINAL. THE UNICOM FREQ 122.8 WAS OCCUPIED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME BY TFC AT OTHER FIELDS, AND I OCCUPIED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME BY TFC AT OTHER FIELDS, AND I HEARD 'NEWPORT TFC, SAY POS.' I RPTED A 2 MI FINAL FOR 22, AND THE PLT THEN CONCENTRATED ON THE APCH WHICH WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE TO MINIMUMS DUE TO A LOW CEILING OF FOG. THE ARPT AREA BECAME VISIBLE BEFORE MAP BY TIME, SO I DSNDED BELOW THE 680' MDA FOR STRAIGHT IN. THE CEILING WAS VARIABLE, HOWEVER AND I FLEW THROUGH LOWER FOG. THE PLT BECAME BRIEFLY DISORIENTED AND DRIFTED RIGHT OF COURSE, RESULTING IN A 4-DOT NEEDLE DEFLECTION. I CORRECTED AND CONTINUED, BREAKING OUT AGAIN OVER THE THRESHOLD AT APPROX 500'. THE PLT DID NOT BELIEVE STRAIGHT IN WOULD BE POSSIBLE, AND TURNED RIGHT 30 DEGS TO CIRCLE LEFT AND LAND RWY 4. HOWEVER, SURFACE WINDS DID NOT ENCOURAGE A DOWNWIND LNDG AND I BROKE OFF THE APCH TO RWY 4 AT 50', CLBING TO THE RIGHT. A VERY STEEP DSNDING LEFT TURN FOLLOWED, ALLOWING A XWIND LNDG ON RWY 16. UPON BEGINNING THE LEFT TURN I NOTICED A HELI LIFTING OFF AT THE INTXN OF THE 2 RWYS. I CONTINUED JUST PAST THE HELI AND LANDED, STOPPING JUST SHORT OF THE END OF THE RWY. THE PLT OF THE HELI WAS CONCERNED THAT I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE HELI'S PRESENCE. HAVING FLOWN A VERY TIGHT AND SOMEWHAT UNUSUAL CIRCLE-TO-LAND PATTERN DUE TO VIS RESTRICTIONS, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF A HELI PRACTICING AIR TAXIING VERY CLOSE TO THE RWYS OF AN UNCTLED ARPT WITH ACFT SHOOTING APCHS TO LAND AND WX OBVIOUSLY AT MINIMUMS. A CIRCLE-TO-LAND APCH IS VERY DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY IN LOW VIS. I BELIEVE ALL RWYS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO AN ACFT ON AN APCH TO AN UNCONTROLLED FIELD WHEN THE FIELD IS IFR. ANY UNUSUAL MOVEMENT PERCEIVED AS UNPREDICTABLE BY A PLT ATTEMPTING TO LAND IS VERY DISTRACTING AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.