A318 crew descended below the GS and got a GPWS warning at dca.

Attributes
ACN	580565
Time
Date	200304
Day	Tue
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca.airport
State Reference	DC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1000 agl bound upper : 1400
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dca.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual approach : instrument precision arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	580565
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies other anomaly
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : gpws other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Was cleared for river visual to dca. It was a tight vector to the river. So we ended up overshooting final. Also, were a bit high to start. Put the autoplt into an idle descent to try to get on profile. Became preoccupied with trying to get back on final and get configured. After 1 min, the captain asked 'what is your altitude supposed to be?' just after this, a GPWS warning occurred. Disconnected autoplt and climbed. Not sure, but probably got about 400 ft below profile. I realize now the ways I messed up -- 1) I should have requested a longer final. Had I done so, this whole mess would never have happened. 2) should have used the vertical speed function, as opposed to open descent. 3) probably should have disconnected the autoplt and hand flown the plane. A real humility restorer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A318 CREW DSNDED BELOW THE GS AND GOT A GPWS WARNING AT DCA.

Narrative: WAS CLRED FOR RIVER VISUAL TO DCA. IT WAS A TIGHT VECTOR TO THE RIVER. SO WE ENDED UP OVERSHOOTING FINAL. ALSO, WERE A BIT HIGH TO START. PUT THE AUTOPLT INTO AN IDLE DSCNT TO TRY TO GET ON PROFILE. BECAME PREOCCUPIED WITH TRYING TO GET BACK ON FINAL AND GET CONFIGURED. AFTER 1 MIN, THE CAPT ASKED 'WHAT IS YOUR ALT SUPPOSED TO BE?' JUST AFTER THIS, A GPWS WARNING OCCURRED. DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT AND CLBED. NOT SURE, BUT PROBABLY GOT ABOUT 400 FT BELOW PROFILE. I REALIZE NOW THE WAYS I MESSED UP -- 1) I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED A LONGER FINAL. HAD I DONE SO, THIS WHOLE MESS WOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED. 2) SHOULD HAVE USED THE VERT SPD FUNCTION, AS OPPOSED TO OPEN DSCNT. 3) PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND HAND FLOWN THE PLANE. A REAL HUMILITY RESTORER.

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.