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B737NG flight crew reported receiving a terrain warning and observed misaligned PAPI indicator lights at mtpp.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1527323 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201803 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | MTPP.Airport |
| State Reference | FO |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | B737 Next Generation Undifferentiated |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Final Approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Pilot Flying First Officer |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | Pilot Not Flying Captain |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach |
Narrative:
PAPI for rwy 28 at mtpp is out of calibration and poses a hazard. At the final approach fix to rwy 28 at mtpp; only three lights of the PAPI were visible and they were all white. We noted it and expressed an intent to find the visual glideslope by descending until one red light showed. As I began to feel low-ish; I considered that it was an expected illusion due to the ground sloping down toward the runway. Inside of two miles; with just over a dot low on the FMS glideslope and a definite 'ok; this doesn't feel right' voice in my head; a fourth PAPI light (red) appeared at the far right and the second PAPI light turned red so that we were seeing white-red-white-red as the egpws announced 'too low - terrain.' I adjusted flight path and landed safely.clearly the two right lights of the PAPI (at a minimum) are out of alignment. The third seems aimed low (presenting white when it should be red). The fourth seems aimed laterally off course so that it is not visible until short final.suggestions:I recommend that the airport authority be advised of the problem and that; until such time as [company] can verify that the NAVAID meets acceptable standards; releases to mtpp contain a message advising crews to disregard the PAPI and maintain the FMS glideslope.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737NG flight crew reported receiving a terrain warning and observed misaligned PAPI indicator lights at MTPP.
Narrative: PAPI for Rwy 28 at MTPP is out of calibration and poses a hazard. At the final approach fix to Rwy 28 at MTPP; only three lights of the PAPI were visible and they were all white. We noted it and expressed an intent to find the visual glideslope by descending until one red light showed. As I began to feel low-ish; I considered that it was an expected illusion due to the ground sloping down toward the runway. Inside of two miles; with just over a dot low on the FMS glideslope and a definite 'OK; this doesn't feel right' voice in my head; a fourth PAPI light (red) appeared at the far right and the second PAPI light turned red so that we were seeing WHITE-RED-WHITE-RED as the EGPWS announced 'TOO LOW - TERRAIN.' I adjusted flight path and landed safely.Clearly the two right lights of the PAPI (at a minimum) are out of alignment. The third seems aimed low (presenting white when it should be red). The fourth seems aimed laterally off course so that it is not visible until short final.Suggestions:I recommend that the airport authority be advised of the problem and that; until such time as [Company] can verify that the NAVAID meets acceptable standards; releases to MTPP contain a message advising crews to disregard the PAPI and maintain the FMS glideslope.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.