B727 crew received a false GPWS warning 'pull up' when departing rno, nv.

Attributes
ACN	405680
Time
Date	199806
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rno
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6900 msl bound upper : 8500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rno
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	405680
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	407102
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Climb out on wagge 1 departure, GPWS alerted us to 'pull up.' applied maximum power and climbed until GPWS shut off. We were exactly aligned on SID as published. We could see we were clear of terrain when GPWS went off. We performed standard procedures for GPWS alert. #1 engine exceeded maximum book limit for 10 seconds. We contacted dispatch and maintenance to discuss the situation. Maintenance confirmed that we had in fact not exceeded the limitation on that engine because of its higher rating (-17R instead of -17). We already knew this as a crew but this reconfirmed this fact through maintenance. Dispatch agreed that the flight should be continued without any emergency actions taken. We used standard procedures to handle the above situation. We reviewed all modes of activation for the GPWS and at no time should we have set it off. Maintenance was also notified of the false warning and our reaction to it. I believe the faulty GPWS warning caused us to perform procedures that were not necessary. If the aircraft was flown in standard takeoff confign 1000 ft higher than present SID requirement (6412 ft) clean up altitude, we would not have gotten a false warning.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CREW RECEIVED A FALSE GPWS WARNING 'PULL UP' WHEN DEPARTING RNO, NV.

Narrative: CLBOUT ON WAGGE 1 DEP, GPWS ALERTED US TO 'PULL UP.' APPLIED MAX PWR AND CLBED UNTIL GPWS SHUT OFF. WE WERE EXACTLY ALIGNED ON SID AS PUBLISHED. WE COULD SEE WE WERE CLR OF TERRAIN WHEN GPWS WENT OFF. WE PERFORMED STANDARD PROCS FOR GPWS ALERT. #1 ENG EXCEEDED MAX BOOK LIMIT FOR 10 SECONDS. WE CONTACTED DISPATCH AND MAINT TO DISCUSS THE SIT. MAINT CONFIRMED THAT WE HAD IN FACT NOT EXCEEDED THE LIMITATION ON THAT ENG BECAUSE OF ITS HIGHER RATING (-17R INSTEAD OF -17). WE ALREADY KNEW THIS AS A CREW BUT THIS RECONFIRMED THIS FACT THROUGH MAINT. DISPATCH AGREED THAT THE FLT SHOULD BE CONTINUED WITHOUT ANY EMER ACTIONS TAKEN. WE USED STANDARD PROCS TO HANDLE THE ABOVE SIT. WE REVIEWED ALL MODES OF ACTIVATION FOR THE GPWS AND AT NO TIME SHOULD WE HAVE SET IT OFF. MAINT WAS ALSO NOTIFIED OF THE FALSE WARNING AND OUR REACTION TO IT. I BELIEVE THE FAULTY GPWS WARNING CAUSED US TO PERFORM PROCS THAT WERE NOT NECESSARY. IF THE ACFT WAS FLOWN IN STANDARD TKOF CONFIGN 1000 FT HIGHER THAN PRESENT SID REQUIREMENT (6412 FT) CLEAN UP ALT, WE WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN A FALSE WARNING.

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.