Narrative:

We were descending to 4000 ft on a vector for a VOR/DME approach when the GPWS terrain warning went off. I was sure we were still over water but the radio altimeter indicated 1000 ft. I immediately applied go around power and raised the nose rapidly. The radio altimeter remained at 1000 ft as we climbed, so I didn't increase power beyond go around power. As we were climbing, I glanced at the RMI which indicated we were on the 310 degree radial of zqa and I recalled we had not reached the 12 DME arc before being given a heading for vector to the approach. The terrain warning ceased after a short period of time and as the noseover recovery was initiated, a momentary stick shaker activated. We notified ATC of the event and that we were now at 5000 ft descending. Approaching nassau, the radar indicated numerous areas of light rain with spotted areas of moderate rain. However, for the period of several mins prior to the GPWS warning, during the escape maneuver and for several mins afterwards, we were in very heavy rain -- probably the heaviest I've encountered in 40 yrs of flying. The noise in the cockpit was very loud. The GPWS event lasted possibly no more than 20 seconds. After the event we accelerated back to 200 KTS, flaps were at 5 degrees during the event. We completed the approach and landing in heavy rain. The first officer has no recollection of seeing her RA read 1000 ft so we assumed the captain's RA malfunctioned triggering the GPWS. During the escape maneuver, I failed to adequately monitor the pitch of aircraft while trying to resolve in my mind what was really going on. The first officer thought she saw 40 degrees in up pitch before I started the pitch over. I feel my training failed to prepare for the surprise and confusion that ensued during the event.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A B757 DURING TRANSITION TO A VOR-DME ARC APCH CLBED IN RESPONSE TO A GPWS. THE HIGH NOSE UP PITCH ATTITUDE BY THE CAPT CAUSED A STALL WARNING STICK SHAKER WHICH RECOVERY WAS IMMEDIATELY MADE.

Narrative: WE WERE DSNDING TO 4000 FT ON A VECTOR FOR A VOR/DME APCH WHEN THE GPWS TERRAIN WARNING WENT OFF. I WAS SURE WE WERE STILL OVER WATER BUT THE RADIO ALTIMETER INDICATED 1000 FT. I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED GAR PWR AND RAISED THE NOSE RAPIDLY. THE RADIO ALTIMETER REMAINED AT 1000 FT AS WE CLBED, SO I DIDN'T INCREASE PWR BEYOND GAR PWR. AS WE WERE CLBING, I GLANCED AT THE RMI WHICH INDICATED WE WERE ON THE 310 DEG RADIAL OF ZQA AND I RECALLED WE HAD NOT REACHED THE 12 DME ARC BEFORE BEING GIVEN A HDG FOR VECTOR TO THE APCH. THE TERRAIN WARNING CEASED AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND AS THE NOSEOVER RECOVERY WAS INITIATED, A MOMENTARY STICK SHAKER ACTIVATED. WE NOTIFIED ATC OF THE EVENT AND THAT WE WERE NOW AT 5000 FT DSNDING. APCHING NASSAU, THE RADAR INDICATED NUMEROUS AREAS OF LIGHT RAIN WITH SPOTTED AREAS OF MODERATE RAIN. HOWEVER, FOR THE PERIOD OF SEVERAL MINS PRIOR TO THE GPWS WARNING, DURING THE ESCAPE MANEUVER AND FOR SEVERAL MINS AFTERWARDS, WE WERE IN VERY HVY RAIN -- PROBABLY THE HEAVIEST I'VE ENCOUNTERED IN 40 YRS OF FLYING. THE NOISE IN THE COCKPIT WAS VERY LOUD. THE GPWS EVENT LASTED POSSIBLY NO MORE THAN 20 SECONDS. AFTER THE EVENT WE ACCELERATED BACK TO 200 KTS, FLAPS WERE AT 5 DEGS DURING THE EVENT. WE COMPLETED THE APCH AND LNDG IN HVY RAIN. THE FO HAS NO RECOLLECTION OF SEEING HER RA READ 1000 FT SO WE ASSUMED THE CAPT'S RA MALFUNCTIONED TRIGGERING THE GPWS. DURING THE ESCAPE MANEUVER, I FAILED TO ADEQUATELY MONITOR THE PITCH OF ACFT WHILE TRYING TO RESOLVE IN MY MIND WHAT WAS REALLY GOING ON. THE FO THOUGHT SHE SAW 40 DEGS IN UP PITCH BEFORE I STARTED THE PITCH OVER. I FEEL MY TRAINING FAILED TO PREPARE FOR THE SURPRISE AND CONFUSION THAT ENSUED DURING THE EVENT.

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.