Narrative:

We were at 9000 ft MSL when rno approach cleared us for the visual approach for runway 34L. We could clearly see the airport and the aircraft to follow from our current position. We thoroughly briefed our plan and approach at cruise altitude. The autoplt and autothrottles were on. I dialed in an altitude of 8200 ft MSL which was the altitude at the FAF. I rolled down the vertical speed selector a little too much. Initially; it rolled down to indicate about 1400-1600 FPM descent. As I was correcting back for it to read about a 500 FPM descent; we received the GPWS alert 'terrain; terrain.' I immediately clicked off the autoplt and autothrottles and initiated a climb. I was not overly aggressive with my flying since we knew we were ok and that it may have gone off due to the initial vertical speed command. However; according to our company's GPWS procedure; I executed the required maneuver. That night the visibility was greater than 10 mi and we could see stars above. We could clearly see our surroundings; but since the mountains in that area were indeed a concern; we complied with procedures and executed the avoidance maneuver. Within seconds; the alert canceled and we were now less than 2 mi away from the FAF. We learned from this experience that even though we did an extensive pre-briefing and were following procedures; that the next time we would still acknowledge the visual clearance; but request radar vectors to final with altitudes in such a threatening environment. Even though it was almost XA00 rno time; it was almost XB00 our current body clock time. A little bit of fatigue may have also been a contributing factor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 PILOT REPORTS EXECUTING A GPWS AVOIDANCE MANEUVER APCHING RNO 34L EVEN THOUGH THE CREW HAD NIGHT VMC GND CONTACT.

Narrative: WE WERE AT 9000 FT MSL WHEN RNO APCH CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL APCH FOR RWY 34L. WE COULD CLRLY SEE THE ARPT AND THE ACFT TO FOLLOW FROM OUR CURRENT POS. WE THOROUGHLY BRIEFED OUR PLAN AND APCH AT CRUISE ALT. THE AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLES WERE ON. I DIALED IN AN ALT OF 8200 FT MSL WHICH WAS THE ALT AT THE FAF. I ROLLED DOWN THE VERT SPD SELECTOR A LITTLE TOO MUCH. INITIALLY; IT ROLLED DOWN TO INDICATE ABOUT 1400-1600 FPM DSCNT. AS I WAS CORRECTING BACK FOR IT TO READ ABOUT A 500 FPM DSCNT; WE RECEIVED THE GPWS ALERT 'TERRAIN; TERRAIN.' I IMMEDIATELY CLICKED OFF THE AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLES AND INITIATED A CLB. I WAS NOT OVERLY AGGRESSIVE WITH MY FLYING SINCE WE KNEW WE WERE OK AND THAT IT MAY HAVE GONE OFF DUE TO THE INITIAL VERT SPD COMMAND. HOWEVER; ACCORDING TO OUR COMPANY'S GPWS PROC; I EXECUTED THE REQUIRED MANEUVER. THAT NIGHT THE VISIBILITY WAS GREATER THAN 10 MI AND WE COULD SEE STARS ABOVE. WE COULD CLRLY SEE OUR SURROUNDINGS; BUT SINCE THE MOUNTAINS IN THAT AREA WERE INDEED A CONCERN; WE COMPLIED WITH PROCS AND EXECUTED THE AVOIDANCE MANEUVER. WITHIN SECONDS; THE ALERT CANCELED AND WE WERE NOW LESS THAN 2 MI AWAY FROM THE FAF. WE LEARNED FROM THIS EXPERIENCE THAT EVEN THOUGH WE DID AN EXTENSIVE PRE-BRIEFING AND WERE FOLLOWING PROCS; THAT THE NEXT TIME WE WOULD STILL ACKNOWLEDGE THE VISUAL CLRNC; BUT REQUEST RADAR VECTORS TO FINAL WITH ALTS IN SUCH A THREATENING ENVIRONMENT. EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ALMOST XA00 RNO TIME; IT WAS ALMOST XB00 OUR CURRENT BODY CLOCK TIME. A LITTLE BIT OF FATIGUE MAY HAVE ALSO BEEN A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

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.