Narrative:

We were being vectored into btv for runway 33 on a left base leg for approximately a 6 mi final. It was nighttime and we were fully aware of the high terrain to the east of the airport. The approach controller kept descending us to lower altitudes as we approached the runway and wanted us to call the airport in sight. We finally did and he cleared us to 2600 ft. We were to the west of the localizer final approach with the highest spot elevation in our vicinity of 1310 ft. As we were descending to 1600 ft; he also called out unknown traffic at 12 O'clock position and 1.5 mi. We were unable to acquire the traffic. At almost the exact same time; we got a terrain; terrain warning (still left of the localizer final approach course). Because of this and the unknown traffic call; the captain (PF) elected to apply terrain/go around procedures and climb to 4000 ft. We advised the controller of the terrain warning and inability to acquire the traffic as reason for our climb to 4000 ft. He agreed and vectored us around to a left base visual to runway 33. No problems encountered to a safe landing. Supplemental information from acn 743053: tower kept us high and kept pressuring us to call the field. I was not willing to accept a visual approach in high terrain at night at a field I rarely go to. On base tower called out traffic 12 O'clock position; 1 mi. We couldn't find him and we were preparing to go around when we got a terrain; terrain warning. Even though we knew our position and altitude were safe unless we grossly overshot final while descending; we executed the recovery procedure. Tower vectored us around to another visual approach. Visual is fine; but a tight; high approach is marginal at a special qualification airport at night. This night we did not let the links in the chain get attached.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 FLT CREW RECEIVES TERRAIN WARNING DURING VECTORS FOR VISUAL APPROACH TO RWY 33 AT BTV AND EXECUTES THE ESCAPE MANEUVER.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED INTO BTV FOR RWY 33 ON A L BASE LEG FOR APPROX A 6 MI FINAL. IT WAS NIGHTTIME AND WE WERE FULLY AWARE OF THE HIGH TERRAIN TO THE E OF THE ARPT. THE APCH CTLR KEPT DSNDING US TO LOWER ALTS AS WE APCHED THE RWY AND WANTED US TO CALL THE ARPT IN SIGHT. WE FINALLY DID AND HE CLRED US TO 2600 FT. WE WERE TO THE W OF THE LOC FINAL APCH WITH THE HIGHEST SPOT ELEVATION IN OUR VICINITY OF 1310 FT. AS WE WERE DSNDING TO 1600 FT; HE ALSO CALLED OUT UNKNOWN TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK POS AND 1.5 MI. WE WERE UNABLE TO ACQUIRE THE TFC. AT ALMOST THE EXACT SAME TIME; WE GOT A TERRAIN; TERRAIN WARNING (STILL L OF THE LOC FINAL APCH COURSE). BECAUSE OF THIS AND THE UNKNOWN TFC CALL; THE CAPT (PF) ELECTED TO APPLY TERRAIN/GAR PROCS AND CLB TO 4000 FT. WE ADVISED THE CTLR OF THE TERRAIN WARNING AND INABILITY TO ACQUIRE THE TFC AS REASON FOR OUR CLB TO 4000 FT. HE AGREED AND VECTORED US AROUND TO A L BASE VISUAL TO RWY 33. NO PROBS ENCOUNTERED TO A SAFE LNDG. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 743053: TWR KEPT US HIGH AND KEPT PRESSURING US TO CALL THE FIELD. I WAS NOT WILLING TO ACCEPT A VISUAL APCH IN HIGH TERRAIN AT NIGHT AT A FIELD I RARELY GO TO. ON BASE TWR CALLED OUT TFC 12 O'CLOCK POS; 1 MI. WE COULDN'T FIND HIM AND WE WERE PREPARING TO GO AROUND WHEN WE GOT A TERRAIN; TERRAIN WARNING. EVEN THOUGH WE KNEW OUR POS AND ALT WERE SAFE UNLESS WE GROSSLY OVERSHOT FINAL WHILE DSNDING; WE EXECUTED THE RECOVERY PROC. TWR VECTORED US AROUND TO ANOTHER VISUAL APCH. VISUAL IS FINE; BUT A TIGHT; HIGH APCH IS MARGINAL AT A SPECIAL QUALIFICATION ARPT AT NIGHT. THIS NIGHT WE DID NOT LET THE LINKS IN THE CHAIN GET ATTACHED.

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.