Flight crew receives egpws during vectors for approach to ara.

Attributes
ACN	725824
Time
Date	200702
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ara.airport
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Fog
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 34
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	725824
Person 2
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

We received an egpws warning due to an unobserved obstruction. Approach control was vectoring us for an ILS runway 34. At 3000 ft radar contact was lost. We climbed to 4000 ft but still no radar contact from approach control. We were on an extended downwind to the runway. An egpws caution for obstruction occurred followed by the warning 'pull up.' I climbed and turned right and notified ATC. There was a tethered balloon station within 1/2 to 1 mi at 12 O'clock position. Obstacle caution followed by a pull-up warning. Climbed and turned. Question ATC about obstructions when radar contact is lost.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW RECEIVES EGPWS DURING VECTORS FOR APCH TO ARA.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED AN EGPWS WARNING DUE TO AN UNOBSERVED OBSTRUCTION. APCH CTL WAS VECTORING US FOR AN ILS RWY 34. AT 3000 FT RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. WE CLBED TO 4000 FT BUT STILL NO RADAR CONTACT FROM APCH CTL. WE WERE ON AN EXTENDED DOWNWIND TO THE RWY. AN EGPWS CAUTION FOR OBSTRUCTION OCCURRED FOLLOWED BY THE WARNING 'PULL UP.' I CLBED AND TURNED R AND NOTIFIED ATC. THERE WAS A TETHERED BALLOON STATION WITHIN 1/2 TO 1 MI AT 12 O'CLOCK POS. OBSTACLE CAUTION FOLLOWED BY A PULL-UP WARNING. CLBED AND TURNED. QUESTION ATC ABOUT OBSTRUCTIONS WHEN RADAR CONTACT IS LOST.

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.