Narrative:

We were on radar vectors to what I thought was an ILS to runway 6 at bdl about 15 NM of the field. (The copilot later told me that he had already called the field in sight and we were cleared for a visual.) at any rate, we were on a heading to intercept the localizer to use the ILS for landing and vertical guidance. We were cleared from 5000 ft (I think) to 3000 ft then to 2500 ft (MVA in that area I've been told is 2500 ft). At about 2800 ft and 230 KTS with a rate of descent of about 1800 FPM the GPWS sounded 'terrain.' I pitched up added power instinctively until the warning stopped at about 3200 ft on the altimeter. The copilot told approach that we had responded to a GPWS warning and that we would like to stay at 3000 ft. The approach controller said that that had never happened before and that the MVA was 2500 ft. He then approved 3000 ft. We were never asked to or did I file any report or declare any emergency. We said that we would have our equipment checked. The problem was that our GPWS was MEL'ed inoperative before takeoff (3 day item) so I had responded to a false warning. I feel that GPWS should not be able to be deferred for any reason or at least have an inoperative GPWS muted so no false warning could occur. Night -- hilly terrain.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE ACR FLC OF AN UNKNOWN ACFT TYPE GOT A GPWS 'TERRAIN' ALERT FROM A GPWS THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN MEL'ED AS INOP. THE FLC REACTED, BUT CHARACTERIZED THE WARNING AS FALSE. HOWEVER, THE ACFT WAS DSNDING AT 1800 FPM ONLY 300 FT ABOVE THE MINIMUM VECTORING ALT OVER HILLY TERRAIN AT NIGHT.

Narrative: WE WERE ON RADAR VECTORS TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS AN ILS TO RWY 6 AT BDL ABOUT 15 NM OF THE FIELD. (THE COPLT LATER TOLD ME THAT HE HAD ALREADY CALLED THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL.) AT ANY RATE, WE WERE ON A HEADING TO INTERCEPT THE LOC TO USE THE ILS FOR LNDG AND VERT GUIDANCE. WE WERE CLRED FROM 5000 FT (I THINK) TO 3000 FT THEN TO 2500 FT (MVA IN THAT AREA I'VE BEEN TOLD IS 2500 FT). AT ABOUT 2800 FT AND 230 KTS WITH A RATE OF DSCNT OF ABOUT 1800 FPM THE GPWS SOUNDED 'TERRAIN.' I PITCHED UP ADDED PWR INSTINCTIVELY UNTIL THE WARNING STOPPED AT ABOUT 3200 FT ON THE ALTIMETER. THE COPLT TOLD APCH THAT WE HAD RESPONDED TO A GPWS WARNING AND THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO STAY AT 3000 FT. THE APCH CTLR SAID THAT THAT HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE AND THAT THE MVA WAS 2500 FT. HE THEN APPROVED 3000 FT. WE WERE NEVER ASKED TO OR DID I FILE ANY RPT OR DECLARE ANY EMER. WE SAID THAT WE WOULD HAVE OUR EQUIP CHKED. THE PROB WAS THAT OUR GPWS WAS MEL'ED INOP BEFORE TKOF (3 DAY ITEM) SO I HAD RESPONDED TO A FALSE WARNING. I FEEL THAT GPWS SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE DEFERRED FOR ANY REASON OR AT LEAST HAVE AN INOP GPWS MUTED SO NO FALSE WARNING COULD OCCUR. NIGHT -- HILLY TERRAIN.

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.