MD80 on VOR-DME 24 approach to rsw experienced GPWS and executed missed approach.

Attributes
ACN	600203
Time
Date	200311
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rsw.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 600
Environment
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : rsw.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	600203
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : gpws other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : executed missed approach
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport Aircraft
Primary Problem	Airport

Narrative:

On approach to fort myers regional southwest airport flying company X VOR DME 24 approach, there is a tower directly under the approach path at 296 ft AGL between the FAF and the runway end. WX at the time was 600 ft overcast 3 mi visibility with rain and winds gusting from the southwest from 15-20 mi with thunderstorms in the area. Egpws on non EFIS aircraft was being operated in the system override position due to using the WX radar. At just outside the 4 mi DME fix, the altimeter was bouncing from 600 ft to 700 ft and the GPWS warning went off 1 time with obstacle. Executed GPWS warning procedure and missed approach procedure and went back for second approach. Kept aircraft above 700 ft outside 4 DME on next approach and had no further GPWS warnings. I had briefed the first officer about the 660 until the 4 DME, but did not see the tower on the plan view depicted until the second approach. What is the minimum that a tower can be located on approach procedure? This seems a little close to me that a tower can be located just 300 ft below the approach course that close to the end of the runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 ON VOR-DME 24 APCH TO RSW EXPERIENCED GPWS AND EXECUTED MISSED APCH.

Narrative: ON APCH TO FORT MYERS REGIONAL SOUTHWEST ARPT FLYING COMPANY X VOR DME 24 APCH, THERE IS A TWR DIRECTLY UNDER THE APCH PATH AT 296 FT AGL BTWN THE FAF AND THE RWY END. WX AT THE TIME WAS 600 FT OVCST 3 MI VISIBILITY WITH RAIN AND WINDS GUSTING FROM THE SW FROM 15-20 MI WITH TSTMS IN THE AREA. EGPWS ON NON EFIS ACFT WAS BEING OPERATED IN THE SYS OVERRIDE POS DUE TO USING THE WX RADAR. AT JUST OUTSIDE THE 4 MI DME FIX, THE ALTIMETER WAS BOUNCING FROM 600 FT TO 700 FT AND THE GPWS WARNING WENT OFF 1 TIME WITH OBSTACLE. EXECUTED GPWS WARNING PROC AND MISSED APCH PROC AND WENT BACK FOR SECOND APCH. KEPT ACFT ABOVE 700 FT OUTSIDE 4 DME ON NEXT APCH AND HAD NO FURTHER GPWS WARNINGS. I HAD BRIEFED THE FO ABOUT THE 660 UNTIL THE 4 DME, BUT DID NOT SEE THE TWR ON THE PLAN VIEW DEPICTED UNTIL THE SECOND APCH. WHAT IS THE MINIMUM THAT A TWR CAN BE LOCATED ON APCH PROC? THIS SEEMS A LITTLE CLOSE TO ME THAT A TWR CAN BE LOCATED JUST 300 FT BELOW THE APCH COURSE THAT CLOSE TO THE END OF THE RWY.

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.