FLC OF A CPR MLG OPERATED OUTSIDE OF THE PROTECTED AIRSPACE WHEN MAKING A CIRCLING APCH AT NIGHT IN HIGH GUSTY WINDS.

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LOC APCH TO RWY 16 AT BVY ON DEC/FRI/94 AT ABOUT XX00 LCL WITH WX JUST ABOVE CIRCLING MINIMUMS. THE PLAN WAS TO EXECUTE THE APCH AND; DUE TO STRONG SURFACE WINDS OUT OF THE NE; CIRCLE TO LAND ON RWY 09. ON FINAL WE NEEDED TO HOLD A HDG OF 25-30 DEG L OF LOC COURSE IN ORDER TO STAY ON LOC CTRLINE DUE TO WINDS OUT OF 040 DEGS AT 65 KTS. PASSING OVER THE INTXN OF RWYS 16 AND 09; THE PF STARTED A STANDARD RATE TURN TO THE R IN ORDER TO POS THE ACFT DOWNWIND FOR A LNDG ON RWY 09. MY TASK WAS TO MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH THE ARPT ENVIRONMENT. IT DIDN'T CAUSE ME CONCERN WHEN I WOULD MOMENTARILY LOSE SIGHT OF THE ARPT AS I EXPECTED TO PICK IT BACK UP WHEN WE HAD COMPLETED THE R TURN BACK TOWARD THE RWY. UPON COMPLETION OF THE TURN BACK TO A HDG TOWARD THE NE I EXPECTED TO RE-ACQUIRE VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE ARPT ENVIRONMENT. HOWEVER; ONCE ON THAT HDG ALL I SAW WERE THE LIGHTS FROM THE TOWN BUT STILL THOUGHT I COULD USE MY KNOWLEDGE OF THE LCL AREA TO RE-ORIENT MYSELF AND FIND THE FIELD. WE CONTINUED TO FLY IN A NORTHEASTERLY DIRECTION FOR AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF TIME WHEN; IN CONCERN FOR OUR LOCATION; I SELECTED DIRECT TO THE ARPT ON THE FMS AND JUST AS I GOT A POINT IN THE NORTHERLY DIRECTION FROM THE ACFT'S CURRENT POS; THE PF ANNOUNCED THAT HE HAD THE ARPT AND INTENDED LNDG RWY OFF HIS L SIDE. HE IMMEDIATELY TURNED LEFT TO ENTER A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 09. THE ERROR ON MY PART WAS NOT CALLING FOR AN IMMEDIATE MISSED APCH WHEN I LOST CONTACT WITH THE RWY ENVIRONMENT EVEN THOUGH I THOUGHT I WOULD RE-ACQUIRE CONTACT. THE SECOND ERROR CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO EVEN TRYING OR CONTINUING THE APCH IN THE FIRST PLACE. ONCE IT WAS EVIDENT THAT WE HAD A L QUARTERING TAILWIND IN EXCESS OF 60 KTS AT CIRCLING ALT; WE SHOULD HAVE ABANDONED THE PLAN TO MAKE A CIRCLING APCH. WITH THAT KIND OF WIND AND RESULTING DRIFT; IT WAS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO EXECUTE THE CIRCLING PROC AND REMAIN WITHIN THE PROTECTED CIRCLING AIRSPACE.