Aircraft inbound to mht experienced GPWS alert while on controller vector at MVA.

Attributes
ACN	662377
Time
Date	200506
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mht.airport
State Reference	NH
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Embraer Jet Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	662377
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : ground less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : gpws other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA ATC Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	FAA
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : a90.tracon

Narrative:

It was day VMC; and we were on initial approach into mht. We called the field in sight; but were told to expect approach clearance to runway 17 in a few mi. We were on a vector that was basically an extended right base for runway 17; and we were told to descend to 2500 ft. The first officer was hand flying. Shortly thereafter; we were cleared for the visual to runway 17. My first officer and I saw a mountain ridge with an antenna farm on top of it which was directly ahead of us on the vector we had been left on before being cleared for the visual. Even though we had clear visual contact with the mountain; we decided it would be prudent to stay at the ATC assigned 2500 ft until clear of the ridge. As we passed over the ridge; we received the aural warning 'terrain; terrain; pull up; pull up!' I quickly checked to ensure that the first officer had indeed leveled at 2500 ft (he did); and that we were not descending (we weren't). Before any evasive action was taken; the warning ceased. After landing; I called boston TRACON on the phone. I wasn't so much alarmed at what had happened to us; but if we'd have been IMC or at night; it would have been a different story. TRACON informed me that in IMC; they leave planes at 3000 ft over the ridge until within 3 mi of the localizer; but because we had the field in sight; they dropped us to 2500 ft. They said we weren't the first airplane to complain about this specific incident. In retrospect; we had about 750 ft clearance over the antennas and the ridge. I had my terrain display on; but was unable to see it because it isn't a very bright display; and the sun setting behind us was shining right onto my mfd. I don't feel that safety was compromised on this particular flight. However; I feel that boston TRACON should raise their MVA to 2800 ft over this ridge; because even in clear conditions with the hazard in sight; we shouldn't be getting egpws warnings at ATC assigned headings and altitudes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT INBOUND TO MHT EXPERIENCED GPWS ALERT WHILE ON CTLR VECTOR AT MVA.

Narrative: IT WAS DAY VMC; AND WE WERE ON INITIAL APCH INTO MHT. WE CALLED THE FIELD IN SIGHT; BUT WERE TOLD TO EXPECT APCH CLRNC TO RWY 17 IN A FEW MI. WE WERE ON A VECTOR THAT WAS BASICALLY AN EXTENDED RIGHT BASE FOR RWY 17; AND WE WERE TOLD TO DSND TO 2500 FT. THE FO WAS HAND FLYING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 17. MY FO AND I SAW A MOUNTAIN RIDGE WITH AN ANTENNA FARM ON TOP OF IT WHICH WAS DIRECTLY AHEAD OF US ON THE VECTOR WE HAD BEEN LEFT ON BEFORE BEING CLRED FOR THE VISUAL. EVEN THOUGH WE HAD CLR VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE MOUNTAIN; WE DECIDED IT WOULD BE PRUDENT TO STAY AT THE ATC ASSIGNED 2500 FT UNTIL CLR OF THE RIDGE. AS WE PASSED OVER THE RIDGE; WE RECEIVED THE AURAL WARNING 'TERRAIN; TERRAIN; PULL UP; PULL UP!' I QUICKLY CHKED TO ENSURE THAT THE FO HAD INDEED LEVELED AT 2500 FT (HE DID); AND THAT WE WERE NOT DESCENDING (WE WEREN'T). BEFORE ANY EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN; THE WARNING CEASED. AFTER LNDG; I CALLED BOSTON TRACON ON THE PHONE. I WASN'T SO MUCH ALARMED AT WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO US; BUT IF WE'D HAVE BEEN IMC OR AT NIGHT; IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT STORY. TRACON INFORMED ME THAT IN IMC; THEY LEAVE PLANES AT 3000 FT OVER THE RIDGE UNTIL WITHIN 3 MI OF THE LOC; BUT BECAUSE WE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT; THEY DROPPED US TO 2500 FT. THEY SAID WE WEREN'T THE FIRST AIRPLANE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC INCIDENT. IN RETROSPECT; WE HAD ABOUT 750 FT CLRNC OVER THE ANTENNAS AND THE RIDGE. I HAD MY TERRAIN DISPLAY ON; BUT WAS UNABLE TO SEE IT BECAUSE IT ISN'T A VERY BRIGHT DISPLAY; AND THE SUN SETTING BEHIND US WAS SHINING RIGHT ONTO MY MFD. I DON'T FEEL THAT SAFETY WAS COMPROMISED ON THIS PARTICULAR FLT. HOWEVER; I FEEL THAT BOSTON TRACON SHOULD RAISE THEIR MVA TO 2800 FT OVER THIS RIDGE; BECAUSE EVEN IN CLR CONDITIONS WITH THE HAZARD IN SIGHT; WE SHOULDN'T BE GETTING EGPWS WARNINGS AT ATC ASSIGNED HDGS AND ALTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.