<< >> NASA ASRS Report 199945, January 1992

Flight crew of mdt on lda approach being vectored downwind at 5000 MSL had GPWS. Flight crew climbed aircraft to 6000. Controller vectored them back to 5000.

Attributes
ACN	199945
Time
Date	199201
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : roa
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : roa artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 9200 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	199945
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While being vectored for landing approach we received a GPWS 'terrain, terrain, whoop whoop pull up' warning. First officer silenced warning while I executed maximum rate of climb to 6000 MSL. At same time I had first officer advise ATC that we had a warning and were climbing. ATC mentioned that on occasion they would have other aircraft report same problem in that area. He also said that we were safe and that a descent back to 5000 would be ok. I think that the GPWS may be too sensitive. I noticed that my radalt was fluctuating between 1800 +/- 300 ft, airspeed 170 KTS. I think that either all GPWS systems are sensitive in that area of flight or ATC needs to increase vectoring altitude. Most folks tend to silence the GPWS during that phase of flight. That can only lead to disaster. Let's change the way the system operates so it is not so sensitive.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MDT ON LDA APCH BEING VECTORED DOWNWIND AT 5000 MSL HAD GPWS. FLC CLBED ACFT TO 6000. CTLR VECTORED THEM BACK TO 5000.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR LNDG APCH WE RECEIVED A GPWS 'TERRAIN, TERRAIN, WHOOP WHOOP PULL UP' WARNING. FO SILENCED WARNING WHILE I EXECUTED MAX RATE OF CLB TO 6000 MSL. AT SAME TIME I HAD FO ADVISE ATC THAT WE HAD A WARNING AND WERE CLBING. ATC MENTIONED THAT ON OCCASION THEY WOULD HAVE OTHER ACFT RPT SAME PROBLEM IN THAT AREA. HE ALSO SAID THAT WE WERE SAFE AND THAT A DSCNT BACK TO 5000 WOULD BE OK. I THINK THAT THE GPWS MAY BE TOO SENSITIVE. I NOTICED THAT MY RADALT WAS FLUCTUATING BTWN 1800 +/- 300 FT, AIRSPD 170 KTS. I THINK THAT EITHER ALL GPWS SYSTEMS ARE SENSITIVE IN THAT AREA OF FLT OR ATC NEEDS TO INCREASE VECTORING ALT. MOST FOLKS TEND TO SILENCE THE GPWS DURING THAT PHASE OF FLT. THAT CAN ONLY LEAD TO DISASTER. LET'S CHANGE THE WAY THE SYS OPERATES SO IT IS NOT SO SENSITIVE.

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.