Narrative:

Flight from phx to rno being vectored by reno approach for the localizer DME back course approach to runway 34L rno. Approach control put us too high on the approach at the 16.3 DME fix and offered to vector us off the approach and bring us back for another approach. The WX was reported at 1900 ft and 6 mi visibility so we elected to continue the approach and hurry down to the proper altitude for the approach (unknown to us the WX had deteriorated at the airport to obscured and 1/2 mi visibility in snow shower moving across the airport). During the approach, we broke out visual and due to some confusion between the crew we descended to minimum altitude early and due to the higher than normal rate of descent and the early descent to minimum altitude we got the too low terrain egpws system alert and simultaneously the control tower called to advise they were getting a terrain warning that we were too low (we were at minimum altitude of 5060 ft and should have been at 6000 ft). We executed the published missed approach procedure (airport/runway was not in sight). Vectored back to the localizer back course and instructed to hold at wagge intersection on localizer course left turns. Due to confusion we held south of wagge intersection instead of north of wagge at assigned altitude of 10000 ft. Approach control called, asked if we were making left turns in the hold and we confirmed we were. Approach called again and instructed us to climb to 11000 ft due to high terrain in our area and we complied. Approach control turned us left to 320 degree heading for another localizer DME back course approach (WX had improved to 2 mi visibility). We intercepted the localizer back course and shot the localizer DME back course approach to runway 34L and landed with no further problem. The 2 main lessons learned from this occurrence are: breakdown in CRM between the crew. Bad decision to continue the approach from too high an initial altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR GULFSTREAM GIV DSNDED BELOW THE PUBLISHED ALT DURING A LOC DME BACK COURSE APCH, RESULTING IN A MISSED APCH WHEN IT CAUSED A GPWS WARNING AND AN MSAW ALERT. CREW IMMEDIATELY MADE A MISSED APCH AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY HELD IN THE WRONG LOCATION WHICH CAUSED THEIR ALT TO BE BELOW THE MSA.

Narrative: FLT FROM PHX TO RNO BEING VECTORED BY RENO APCH FOR THE LOC DME BACK COURSE APCH TO RWY 34L RNO. APCH CTL PUT US TOO HIGH ON THE APCH AT THE 16.3 DME FIX AND OFFERED TO VECTOR US OFF THE APCH AND BRING US BACK FOR ANOTHER APCH. THE WX WAS RPTED AT 1900 FT AND 6 MI VISIBILITY SO WE ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE APCH AND HURRY DOWN TO THE PROPER ALT FOR THE APCH (UNKNOWN TO US THE WX HAD DETERIORATED AT THE ARPT TO OBSCURED AND 1/2 MI VISIBILITY IN SNOW SHOWER MOVING ACROSS THE ARPT). DURING THE APCH, WE BROKE OUT VISUAL AND DUE TO SOME CONFUSION BTWN THE CREW WE DSNDED TO MINIMUM ALT EARLY AND DUE TO THE HIGHER THAN NORMAL RATE OF DSCNT AND THE EARLY DSCNT TO MINIMUM ALT WE GOT THE TOO LOW TERRAIN EGPWS SYS ALERT AND SIMULTANEOUSLY THE CTL TWR CALLED TO ADVISE THEY WERE GETTING A TERRAIN WARNING THAT WE WERE TOO LOW (WE WERE AT MINIMUM ALT OF 5060 FT AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT 6000 FT). WE EXECUTED THE PUBLISHED MISSED APCH PROC (ARPT/RWY WAS NOT IN SIGHT). VECTORED BACK TO THE LOC BACK COURSE AND INSTRUCTED TO HOLD AT WAGGE INTXN ON LOC COURSE L TURNS. DUE TO CONFUSION WE HELD S OF WAGGE INTXN INSTEAD OF N OF WAGGE AT ASSIGNED ALT OF 10000 FT. APCH CTL CALLED, ASKED IF WE WERE MAKING L TURNS IN THE HOLD AND WE CONFIRMED WE WERE. APCH CALLED AGAIN AND INSTRUCTED US TO CLB TO 11000 FT DUE TO HIGH TERRAIN IN OUR AREA AND WE COMPLIED. APCH CTL TURNED US L TO 320 DEG HDG FOR ANOTHER LOC DME BACK COURSE APCH (WX HAD IMPROVED TO 2 MI VISIBILITY). WE INTERCEPTED THE LOC BACK COURSE AND SHOT THE LOC DME BACK COURSE APCH TO RWY 34L AND LANDED WITH NO FURTHER PROB. THE 2 MAIN LESSONS LEARNED FROM THIS OCCURRENCE ARE: BREAKDOWN IN CRM BTWN THE CREW. BAD DECISION TO CONTINUE THE APCH FROM TOO HIGH AN INITIAL ALT.

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.