An A320 on approach to mdt experiences a GPWS 'pull up; terrain' warning.

Attributes
ACN	725453
Time
Date	200701
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdt.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mdt.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
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
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	725453
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Speaking with mdt approach; assigned 3000 foot altitude approximately 40 NM from mdt airport. At 3000 ft and 30 miles from field captain and I were commenting to each other about how low we were and the fact that we could see the ridges passing beneath us due to the moonlit sky. Captain queried approach as to why we were assigned such a low altitude so far west of the airport when landing the opposite direction we were approaching the field from. The approach controller stated something to the effect that he wanted to make sure there were 'no problems with the clouds.' the captain then said to 'watch out' as he didn't trust this guy (meaning the controller). At 25 miles from the field I was looking at an upcoming ridge when the GPWS '2500 ft' call occurred. Soon after that I watched as the radio altimeter went very quickly towards 1800 ft at which point the GPWS 'pull up; terrain' warning occurred. The captain took immediate corrective action as I informed mdt approach we were climbing due to a GPWS terrain warning. I also commented to approach that it was ridiculous to have us that low so far from the airport. Approach assigned us 4000 ft and asked if that was 'ok with us.' the rest of the approach was uneventful. We felt that mdt approach brought us in so low so we could see the field and relieve him from having to vector us for an ILS approach. The clouds were at 4500 few and 6500 scattered so there was no need for this to occur. Mdt attempted to relieve themselves of responsibility for our flight. In doing so he put us; the passengers; and plane in harm's way. We briefed the approach and the corresponding altitudes and when asked by us; mdt approach stated that we were well above their 2600 ft minimum vectoring altitude. I don't have access to that information to know if that is correct. I will not let ATC assign such a ridiculously low altitude so far away from the airport in the future. Regardless of what he/she may say their MVA is.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 ON APCH TO MDT EXPERIENCES A GPWS 'PULL UP; TERRAIN' WARNING.

Narrative: SPEAKING WITH MDT APPROACH; ASSIGNED 3000 FOOT ALTITUDE APPROXIMATELY 40 NM FROM MDT AIRPORT. AT 3000 FT AND 30 MILES FROM FIELD CAPTAIN AND I WERE COMMENTING TO EACH OTHER ABOUT HOW LOW WE WERE AND THE FACT THAT WE COULD SEE THE RIDGES PASSING BENEATH US DUE TO THE MOONLIT SKY. CAPTAIN QUERIED APPROACH AS TO WHY WE WERE ASSIGNED SUCH A LOW ALTITUDE SO FAR WEST OF THE AIRPORT WHEN LANDING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION WE WERE APPROACHING THE FIELD FROM. THE APPROACH CONTROLLER STATED SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THERE WERE 'NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CLOUDS.' THE CAPTAIN THEN SAID TO 'WATCH OUT' AS HE DIDN'T TRUST THIS GUY (MEANING THE CONTROLLER). AT 25 MILES FROM THE FIELD I WAS LOOKING AT AN UPCOMING RIDGE WHEN THE GPWS '2500 FT' CALL OCCURRED. SOON AFTER THAT I WATCHED AS THE RADIO ALTIMETER WENT VERY QUICKLY TOWARDS 1800 FT AT WHICH POINT THE GPWS 'PULL UP; TERRAIN' WARNING OCCURRED. THE CAPTAIN TOOK IMMEDIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION AS I INFORMED MDT APPROACH WE WERE CLIMBING DUE TO A GPWS TERRAIN WARNING. I ALSO COMMENTED TO APPROACH THAT IT WAS RIDICULOUS TO HAVE US THAT LOW SO FAR FROM THE AIRPORT. APPROACH ASSIGNED US 4000 FT AND ASKED IF THAT WAS 'OK WITH US.' THE REST OF THE APPROACH WAS UNEVENTFUL. WE FELT THAT MDT APPROACH BROUGHT US IN SO LOW SO WE COULD SEE THE FIELD AND RELIEVE HIM FROM HAVING TO VECTOR US FOR AN ILS APPROACH. THE CLOUDS WERE AT 4500 FEW AND 6500 SCATTERED SO THERE WAS NO NEED FOR THIS TO OCCUR. MDT ATTEMPTED TO RELIEVE THEMSELVES OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR FLIGHT. IN DOING SO HE PUT US; THE PASSENGERS; AND PLANE IN HARM'S WAY. WE BRIEFED THE APPROACH AND THE CORRESPONDING ALTITUDES AND WHEN ASKED BY US; MDT APPROACH STATED THAT WE WERE WELL ABOVE THEIR 2600 FT MINIMUM VECTORING ALTITUDE. I DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION TO KNOW IF THAT IS CORRECT. I WILL NOT LET ATC ASSIGN SUCH A RIDICULOUSLY LOW ALTITUDE SO FAR AWAY FROM THE AIRPORT IN THE FUTURE. REGARDLESS OF WHAT HE/SHE MAY SAY THEIR MVA IS.

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.