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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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An A320 pilot reports mdt TRACON issued an early descent to 3;000' so crew could be VMC but instead crew receive an egpws terrain pull up alert.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 725574 |
| 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 | |
| Weather Elements | other |
| 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 : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 22000 flight time type : 3000 |
| ASRS Report | 725574 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : gpws other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action flight crew : exited adverse environment |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airport Weather ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
Mdt approach gave descent to us very early to 3000 ft MSL. I asked approach why he got us down so early; 'to get below the WX; so we can see the airport.' I looked at my first officer and said 'I don't trust this guy; keep your head on a swivel!' about 5 seconds after that; we got a 'terrain; terrain; pull up.' I climbed immediately to 4000 ft MSL and complied with the GPWS. First officer said RA read 1800 ft. We proceeded to mdt without further problems.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A320 PILOT REPORTS MDT TRACON ISSUED AN EARLY DESCENT TO 3;000' SO CREW COULD BE VMC BUT INSTEAD CREW RECEIVE AN EGPWS TERRAIN PULL UP ALERT.
Narrative: MDT APCH GAVE DSCNT TO US VERY EARLY TO 3000 FT MSL. I ASKED APCH WHY HE GOT US DOWN SO EARLY; 'TO GET BELOW THE WX; SO WE CAN SEE THE ARPT.' I LOOKED AT MY FO AND SAID 'I DON'T TRUST THIS GUY; KEEP YOUR HEAD ON A SWIVEL!' ABOUT 5 SECONDS AFTER THAT; WE GOT A 'TERRAIN; TERRAIN; PULL UP.' I CLBED IMMEDIATELY TO 4000 FT MSL AND COMPLIED WITH THE GPWS. FO SAID RA READ 1800 FT. WE PROCEEDED TO MDT WITHOUT FURTHER PROBS.
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.