Flight crew responded to GPWS on downwind vector for lda runway 6 approach at roa.

Attributes
ACN	139808
Time
Date	199003
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : roa
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : roa
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 64 flight time total : 8750 flight time type : 4700
ASRS Report	139808
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Publication	Unspecified

Narrative:

While level at 5000' MSL with the correct altimeter setting in place and on a downwind vector heading of 260 degrees for the roa lda runway 6 approach, the GPWS pull up warning sounded. Virtually instantly (before the second pull up sounded) I started an emergency climb. I leveled off at 6500' approximately 20 seconds later and my first officer advised the approach controller we had made the altitude change in response to the GPWS warning. I had been to roa only once before and due to night, WX conditions, I felt the warning could possibly be real. The controller's response was a nonchalant comment that some other aircraft had had the warning in the area of a 4009' hill where we got our warning. I don't now what can be done about this (perhaps a higher vector altitude until passing this area), but I certainly see the conflict between what I did (and teach as a check captain) climbing blindly into altitudes which may contain other aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW RESPONDED TO GPWS ON DOWNWIND VECTOR FOR LDA RWY 6 APCH AT ROA.

Narrative: WHILE LEVEL AT 5000' MSL WITH THE CORRECT ALTIMETER SETTING IN PLACE AND ON A DOWNWIND VECTOR HDG OF 260 DEGS FOR THE ROA LDA RWY 6 APCH, THE GPWS PULL UP WARNING SOUNDED. VIRTUALLY INSTANTLY (BEFORE THE SECOND PULL UP SOUNDED) I STARTED AN EMER CLB. I LEVELED OFF AT 6500' APPROX 20 SECS LATER AND MY F/O ADVISED THE APCH CTLR WE HAD MADE THE ALT CHANGE IN RESPONSE TO THE GPWS WARNING. I HAD BEEN TO ROA ONLY ONCE BEFORE AND DUE TO NIGHT, WX CONDITIONS, I FELT THE WARNING COULD POSSIBLY BE REAL. THE CTLR'S RESPONSE WAS A NONCHALANT COMMENT THAT SOME OTHER ACFT HAD HAD THE WARNING IN THE AREA OF A 4009' HILL WHERE WE GOT OUR WARNING. I DON'T NOW WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS (PERHAPS A HIGHER VECTOR ALT UNTIL PASSING THIS AREA), BUT I CERTAINLY SEE THE CONFLICT BTWN WHAT I DID (AND TEACH AS A CHK CAPT) CLBING BLINDLY INTO ALTS WHICH MAY CONTAIN OTHER ACFT.

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.