GPWS sounds during descent.

Attributes
ACN	287798
Time
Date	199411
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : las
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : las
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 165 flight time total : 11600 flight time type : 3700
ASRS Report	287798
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After creso intersection, we were on a radar vector of 020 degree and cleared to 6100 ft. The MEA is 7000 ft. After descending through 7000 ft I saw the radio altimeter descending rapidly and before reaching 6100 ft the gpw terrain sounded. The first officer followed the procedure and we climbed to 7100 ft and the GPWS stopped. We continued to las for a normal landing. This shows me that vectoring altitudes lower than MEA's can be a problem. We were in light to moderate turbulence and believe the gpw sensed a closure rate and not knowing that we were planning to level at 6100 ft it triggered a warning. Maybe reconsideration should be given to vectoring altitudes that are lower than MEA's.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GPWS SOUNDS DURING DSCNT.

Narrative: AFTER CRESO INTXN, WE WERE ON A RADAR VECTOR OF 020 DEG AND CLRED TO 6100 FT. THE MEA IS 7000 FT. AFTER DSNDING THROUGH 7000 FT I SAW THE RADIO ALTIMETER DSNDING RAPIDLY AND BEFORE REACHING 6100 FT THE GPW TERRAIN SOUNDED. THE FO FOLLOWED THE PROC AND WE CLBED TO 7100 FT AND THE GPWS STOPPED. WE CONTINUED TO LAS FOR A NORMAL LNDG. THIS SHOWS ME THAT VECTORING ALTS LOWER THAN MEA'S CAN BE A PROB. WE WERE IN LIGHT TO MODERATE TURB AND BELIEVE THE GPW SENSED A CLOSURE RATE AND NOT KNOWING THAT WE WERE PLANNING TO LEVEL AT 6100 FT IT TRIGGERED A WARNING. MAYBE RECONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO VECTORING ALTS THAT ARE LOWER THAN MEA'S.

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.