Reporter claims there is a low altitude alert (MSAW) for every arrival aircraft on the runway 24 VOR...

Attributes
ACN	390850
Time
Date	199801
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : teb
State Reference	NJ
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : teb
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
ASRS Report	390850
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

At teb tower there is a MSAW (low altitude alert) on every VOR runway 24 approach arrival which requires us (controllers) to issue lengthy phraseology '(aircraft identification) low altitude alert, check your altitude immediately. The MVA in your area is XXX altimeter YYY.' this MSAW alert also requires the ny TRACON to advise us on the land line if they see it. The phraseology and answering the outside line on nearly all arrs increases workload and unnecessarily scares the pilots with the above phraseology. While preparing this report a pilot called and asked why I issued this alert. I explained I was required to. He advised me he was at least 100 ft above the minimum altitude. Callback conversation with automation specialist revealed the following information: automation person indicated an awareness of the MSAW alarms which he referred to as nuisance alarms. He indicated the possible causes could be the approach warning area type 2 area or the digital terrain map. He indicated they will attempt to shorten the approach warning area as well as review the digital terrain map for changes that might affect aircraft descending on the approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CLAIMS THERE IS A LOW ALT ALERT (MSAW) FOR EVERY ARRIVAL ACFT ON THE RWY 24 VOR APCH.

Narrative: AT TEB TWR THERE IS A MSAW (LOW ALT ALERT) ON EVERY VOR RWY 24 APCH ARR WHICH REQUIRES US (CTLRS) TO ISSUE LENGTHY PHRASEOLOGY '(ACFT ID) LOW ALT ALERT, CHK YOUR ALT IMMEDIATELY. THE MVA IN YOUR AREA IS XXX ALTIMETER YYY.' THIS MSAW ALERT ALSO REQUIRES THE NY TRACON TO ADVISE US ON THE LAND LINE IF THEY SEE IT. THE PHRASEOLOGY AND ANSWERING THE OUTSIDE LINE ON NEARLY ALL ARRS INCREASES WORKLOAD AND UNNECESSARILY SCARES THE PLTS WITH THE ABOVE PHRASEOLOGY. WHILE PREPARING THIS RPT A PLT CALLED AND ASKED WHY I ISSUED THIS ALERT. I EXPLAINED I WAS REQUIRED TO. HE ADVISED ME HE WAS AT LEAST 100 FT ABOVE THE MINIMUM ALT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH AUTOMATION SPECIALIST REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: AUTOMATION PERSON INDICATED AN AWARENESS OF THE MSAW ALARMS WHICH HE REFERRED TO AS NUISANCE ALARMS. HE INDICATED THE POSSIBLE CAUSES COULD BE THE APCH WARNING AREA TYPE 2 AREA OR THE DIGITAL TERRAIN MAP. HE INDICATED THEY WILL ATTEMPT TO SHORTEN THE APCH WARNING AREA AS WELL AS REVIEW THE DIGITAL TERRAIN MAP FOR CHANGES THAT MIGHT AFFECT ACFT DSNDING ON THE APCH.

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.

Reporter claims there is a low altitude alert (MSAW) for every arrival aircraft on the runway 24 VOR approach.