B737 crew reports GPWS warning during RNAV approach to runway 8 at mdpp.

Attributes
ACN	732180
Time
Date	200703
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdpp.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 1800 msl single value : 2900
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mdpp.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	732180
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	732181
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : gpws other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action flight crew : executed missed approach
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During RNAV/GPS approach to runway 8 at pop/mdpp in visual met conditions a partial terrain audio was heard with pull up displayed on both pfds. Event occurred in vicinity of kelso at approximately 1800 RA and 2900 baro with local altimter 30.01. Prior to warning all parameters appeared normal; tracking LNAV; rnp.3; on VNAV path; autoplt engaged; aircraft configured with no other alerts or warnings. Approach abandoned and continued as visual approach to landing. At this point I believe the approach was being conducted properly and there may be an anomaly in the database or approach design which caused the warning. Precipitous terrain underlying the approach did not appear to be a threat.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that the GPWS warning was very brief; lasting less than a second with no pull up commands. The aircraft was in a steady descent as it passed over kelso and the ridge that probably caused the warning was clearly visible. The reporter sent in the report to caution others that they may receive an unwarranted GPWS warning passing kelso.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW RPTS GPWS WARNING DURING RNAV APCH TO RWY 8 AT MDPP.

Narrative: DURING RNAV/GPS APCH TO RWY 8 AT POP/MDPP IN VISUAL MET CONDITIONS A PARTIAL TERRAIN AUDIO WAS HEARD WITH PULL UP DISPLAYED ON BOTH PFDS. EVENT OCCURRED IN VICINITY OF KELSO AT APPROX 1800 RA AND 2900 BARO WITH LOCAL ALTIMTER 30.01. PRIOR TO WARNING ALL PARAMETERS APPEARED NORMAL; TRACKING LNAV; RNP.3; ON VNAV PATH; AUTOPLT ENGAGED; ACFT CONFIGURED WITH NO OTHER ALERTS OR WARNINGS. APCH ABANDONED AND CONTINUED AS VISUAL APCH TO LNDG. AT THIS POINT I BELIEVE THE APCH WAS BEING CONDUCTED PROPERLY AND THERE MAY BE AN ANOMALY IN THE DATABASE OR APCH DESIGN WHICH CAUSED THE WARNING. PRECIPITOUS TERRAIN UNDERLYING THE APCH DID NOT APPEAR TO BE A THREAT.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THE GPWS WARNING WAS VERY BRIEF; LASTING LESS THAN A SECOND WITH NO PULL UP COMMANDS. THE ACFT WAS IN A STEADY DESCENT AS IT PASSED OVER KELSO AND THE RIDGE THAT PROBABLY CAUSED THE WARNING WAS CLEARLY VISIBLE. THE RPTR SENT IN THE RPT TO CAUTION OTHERS THAT THEY MAY RECEIVE AN UNWARRANTED GPWS WARNING PASSING KELSO.

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.