DH8 crew had a GPWS warning in N90 class B airspace.

Attributes
ACN	476170
Time
Date	200006
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga.airport
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3200
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dash 8 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 260 flight time total : 3400 flight time type : 2100
ASRS Report	476170
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : gpws other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

While on vectors for runway 4 at lga the terrain warning system began to sound. We were on a 220 degree heading at 3000 ft. I asked the captain what he wanted me to do. He told me to climb to 4000 ft. I knew the MSA for our area was 2800 ft so I was not concerned about terrain. However, since the captain told me to climb, I began to do so. I was a little hesitate to initiate the climb knowing how busy the ZNY ATC system is and did not want to cause a traffic conflict. The captain was simultaneously asking ATC for a climb to 4000 ft. The controller responded are you crazy? You want to do what? At this time I was at 3200 ft, but began to level again at 3000 ft due to the controller's response and not wanting to have a traffic conflict. After the captain explained that our terrain warning was sounding, ATC gave us a 270 degree heading and climb to 4000 ft. After the captain pulled the circuit breaker the flight continued with no further incident. I believe the confusion resulted from my knowledge of the normal vectoring altitudes for kga and not wanting to climb, yet also not wanting to disagree with the captain's instructions to climb. In the future I should be more assertive with my discussion with the captain.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DH8 CREW HAD A GPWS WARNING IN N90 CLASS B AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WHILE ON VECTORS FOR RWY 4 AT LGA THE TERRAIN WARNING SYS BEGAN TO SOUND. WE WERE ON A 220 DEG HDG AT 3000 FT. I ASKED THE CAPT WHAT HE WANTED ME TO DO. HE TOLD ME TO CLB TO 4000 FT. I KNEW THE MSA FOR OUR AREA WAS 2800 FT SO I WAS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT TERRAIN. HOWEVER, SINCE THE CAPT TOLD ME TO CLB, I BEGAN TO DO SO. I WAS A LITTLE HESITATE TO INITIATE THE CLB KNOWING HOW BUSY THE ZNY ATC SYS IS AND DID NOT WANT TO CAUSE A TFC CONFLICT. THE CAPT WAS SIMULTANEOUSLY ASKING ATC FOR A CLB TO 4000 FT. THE CONTROLLER RESPONDED ARE YOU CRAZY? YOU WANT TO DO WHAT? AT THIS TIME I WAS AT 3200 FT, BUT BEGAN TO LEVEL AGAIN AT 3000 FT DUE TO THE CTLR'S RESPONSE AND NOT WANTING TO HAVE A TFC CONFLICT. AFTER THE CAPT EXPLAINED THAT OUR TERRAIN WARNING WAS SOUNDING, ATC GAVE US A 270 DEG HDG AND CLB TO 4000 FT. AFTER THE CAPT PULLED THE CIRCUIT BREAKER THE FLT CONTINUED WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THE CONFUSION RESULTED FROM MY KNOWLEDGE OF THE NORMAL VECTORING ALTS FOR KGA AND NOT WANTING TO CLB, YET ALSO NOT WANTING TO DISAGREE WITH THE CAPT'S INSTRUCTIONS TO CLB. IN THE FUTURE I SHOULD BE MORE ASSERTIVE WITH MY DISCUSSION WITH THE CAPT.

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.