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An A320 first officer reports an egpws 'pull up' alert during a day VMC visual approach to las runway 1R. He had difficulty determining the aircraft's height above the terrain visually.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 811917 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200811 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : las.airport |
| State Reference | NV |
| Altitude | msl single value : 4500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Weather Elements | Turbulence |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : zzz.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4500 |
| ASRS Report | 811917 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : company policies other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : gpws other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : became reoriented |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
Cleared for the visual to runway 1R the captain selected the cf (runway centerline extension) into the FMGC. In trying to keep the speed up; I descended a little earlier than usual. We received a terrain warning; followed by another with a pull up command. I followed SOP and took corrective action; landing uneventfully. I learned from this experience that it is difficult; even when it's day VMC; to accurately determine the aircraft's distance from terrain. It may 'look' fine; but this does not mean that one has adequate altitude. The terrain can be (and usually is) contoured; so that just looking out the window becomes overly subjective. I also learned that it is best to always stay at or above profile; especially in mountainous areas.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A320 FIRST OFFICER REPORTS AN EGPWS 'PULL UP' ALERT DURING A DAY VMC VISUAL APPROACH TO LAS RUNWAY 1R. HE HAD DIFFICULTY DETERMINING THE AIRCRAFT'S HEIGHT ABOVE THE TERRAIN VISUALLY.
Narrative: CLRED FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 1R THE CAPT SELECTED THE CF (RWY CTRLINE EXTENSION) INTO THE FMGC. IN TRYING TO KEEP THE SPD UP; I DSNDED A LITTLE EARLIER THAN USUAL. WE RECEIVED A TERRAIN WARNING; FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER WITH A PULL UP COMMAND. I FOLLOWED SOP AND TOOK CORRECTIVE ACTION; LNDG UNEVENTFULLY. I LEARNED FROM THIS EXPERIENCE THAT IT IS DIFFICULT; EVEN WHEN IT'S DAY VMC; TO ACCURATELY DETERMINE THE ACFT'S DISTANCE FROM TERRAIN. IT MAY 'LOOK' FINE; BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT ONE HAS ADEQUATE ALT. THE TERRAIN CAN BE (AND USUALLY IS) CONTOURED; SO THAT JUST LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW BECOMES OVERLY SUBJECTIVE. I ALSO LEARNED THAT IT IS BEST TO ALWAYS STAY AT OR ABOVE PROFILE; ESPECIALLY IN MOUNTAINOUS AREAS.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.