Air carrier on localizer DME backcourse approach at night has GPWS alert. Climbs.

Attributes
ACN	225959
Time
Date	199211
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rno
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9350
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rno tower : poc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	225959
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were assigned 9000 ft, and an intercept from the east for runway 34 localizer DME (backcourse) in rno. Headed approximately at wagge. Night visual conditions with a few scattered clouds. With airport and runway in sight level at 9000 approximately 17 DME on intercept heading (first officer flying with map displayed, I had raw data displayed and localizer in manual mode). We had discussed the terrain prior to and again once we were in the descent. At this time we received a terrain warning. We told approach we were getting the warning and would like to climb to silence the warning. We visually had the terrain but since it was night I was not comfortable with the situation. The warning changed as I was asking for altitude relief. I commanded the first officer to start a climb. At 9350 ft the warning ceased we were then cleared for localizer DME 34 back course/visual approach. Rest of approach/landing uneventful. When I told approach control that we were climbing that I could not ignore my cockpit warnings, he indicated that 'that was too bad' that it was 'probably the towers' that set off the warning. He did not indicate that our climbing to 9350 was a problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ON LOC DME BACKCOURSE APCH AT NIGHT HAS GPWS ALERT. CLBS.

Narrative: WE WERE ASSIGNED 9000 FT, AND AN INTERCEPT FROM THE E FOR RWY 34 LOC DME (BACKCOURSE) IN RNO. HEADED APPROX AT WAGGE. NIGHT VISUAL CONDITIONS WITH A FEW SCATTERED CLOUDS. WITH ARPT AND RWY IN SIGHT LEVEL AT 9000 APPROX 17 DME ON INTERCEPT HDG (FO FLYING WITH MAP DISPLAYED, I HAD RAW DATA DISPLAYED AND LOC IN MANUAL MODE). WE HAD DISCUSSED THE TERRAIN PRIOR TO AND AGAIN ONCE WE WERE IN THE DSCNT. AT THIS TIME WE RECEIVED A TERRAIN WARNING. WE TOLD APCH WE WERE GETTING THE WARNING AND WOULD LIKE TO CLB TO SILENCE THE WARNING. WE VISUALLY HAD THE TERRAIN BUT SINCE IT WAS NIGHT I WAS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE SITUATION. THE WARNING CHANGED AS I WAS ASKING FOR ALT RELIEF. I COMMANDED THE FO TO START A CLB. AT 9350 FT THE WARNING CEASED WE WERE THEN CLRED FOR LOC DME 34 BC/VISUAL APCH. REST OF APCH/LNDG UNEVENTFUL. WHEN I TOLD APCH CTL THAT WE WERE CLBING THAT I COULD NOT IGNORE MY COCKPIT WARNINGS, HE INDICATED THAT 'THAT WAS TOO BAD' THAT IT WAS 'PROBABLY THE TWRS' THAT SET OFF THE WARNING. HE DID NOT INDICATE THAT OUR CLBING TO 9350 WAS A PROBLEM.

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.