Air carrier X descent below minimum vectoring altitude received GPWS warning climb. System error.

Attributes
ACN	244911
Time
Date	199306
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mmj
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit tracon : gso
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
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	244911
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9800 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	244403
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

During terminal phase of flight prior to landing on runway 32 at pit terrain warning alert triggered. Air carrier X being vectored for a visual approach to runway 32 at pit. There were rainshowers and WX activity to the east of pit and aircraft were being vectored for visual approachs to runway 32. I was outside of wyler to the east of the final approach course. I was given a westerly heading with the field in sight and cleared to descend to 2000 ft. I started a descent and while passing through 3000 the terrain warning alerted. I initiated a climb which silenced the alert, then was cleared for a visual approach. Supplemental information from acn 244403: air carrier X arrived in the greater pit area and was receiving radar vectors from pit approach control for an ILS/visual to runway 32. We were cleared to 2000, in which we read back air carrier X out of 4000 for 2000. At approximately 2200 we got a GPWS warning. I instructed first officer to climb. Just as we began our climb, what I believe was a different controller said maintain 2500 cleared for the ILS 32. We landed, taxied in. No comments were made nor received from ATC.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X DSCNT BELOW MINIMUM VECTORING ALT RECEIVED GPWS WARNING CLB. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: DURING TERMINAL PHASE OF FLT PRIOR TO LNDG ON RWY 32 AT PIT TERRAIN WARNING ALERT TRIGGERED. ACR X BEING VECTORED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 32 AT PIT. THERE WERE RAINSHOWERS AND WX ACTIVITY TO THE E OF PIT AND ACFT WERE BEING VECTORED FOR VISUAL APCHS TO RWY 32. I WAS OUTSIDE OF WYLER TO THE E OF THE FINAL APCH COURSE. I WAS GIVEN A WESTERLY HDG WITH THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND CLRED TO DSND TO 2000 FT. I STARTED A DSCNT AND WHILE PASSING THROUGH 3000 THE TERRAIN WARNING ALERTED. I INITIATED A CLB WHICH SILENCED THE ALERT, THEN WAS CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 244403: ACR X ARRIVED IN THE GREATER PIT AREA AND WAS RECEIVING RADAR VECTORS FROM PIT APCH CTL FOR AN ILS/VISUAL TO RWY 32. WE WERE CLRED TO 2000, IN WHICH WE READ BACK ACR X OUT OF 4000 FOR 2000. AT APPROX 2200 WE GOT A GPWS WARNING. I INSTRUCTED FO TO CLB. JUST AS WE BEGAN OUR CLB, WHAT I BELIEVE WAS A DIFFERENT CTLR SAID MAINTAIN 2500 CLRED FOR THE ILS 32. WE LANDED, TAXIED IN. NO COMMENTS WERE MADE NOR RECEIVED FROM ATC.

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.