Medium large transport descending to 3000' MSL climbs when GPWS terrain warning is received.

Attributes
ACN	163078
Time
Date	199011
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rme
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	163078
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4300
ASRS Report	162868
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Being vectored to runway 33 out of 4000 to 3000', speed about 220 KTS 40% speed brake, engines spooled for engine and airframe and ice systems on. Turning base to final to join localizer, prior to reaching 3000', GPWS activated. I slowed rate of descent. GPWS activated again at this time. Initiated climb. We were about 3300' at this time. Approach asked what our altitude was. The first officer stated we were climbing. Approach asked why. First officer stated due to GPWS. Approach stated the highest point in our sector was 1100' and asked where we were going to stop the climb. I said 5000' and stated to the controller we didn't question the GPWS, but followed procedure, which is to climb. At that point we were cleared to 3000' and continued ILS 33 to landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG DESCENDING TO 3000' MSL CLIMBS WHEN GPWS TERRAIN WARNING IS RECEIVED.

Narrative: BEING VECTORED TO RWY 33 OUT OF 4000 TO 3000', SPD ABOUT 220 KTS 40% SPD BRAKE, ENGS SPOOLED FOR ENG AND AIRFRAME AND ICE SYSTEMS ON. TURNING BASE TO FINAL TO JOIN LOC, PRIOR TO REACHING 3000', GPWS ACTIVATED. I SLOWED RATE OF DSNT. GPWS ACTIVATED AGAIN AT THIS TIME. INITIATED CLB. WE WERE ABOUT 3300' AT THIS TIME. APCH ASKED WHAT OUR ALT WAS. THE F/O STATED WE WERE CLBING. APCH ASKED WHY. F/O STATED DUE TO GPWS. APCH STATED THE HIGHEST POINT IN OUR SECTOR WAS 1100' AND ASKED WHERE WE WERE GOING TO STOP THE CLB. I SAID 5000' AND STATED TO THE CTLR WE DIDN'T QUESTION THE GPWS, BUT FOLLOWED PROC, WHICH IS TO CLB. AT THAT POINT WE WERE CLRED TO 3000' AND CONTINUED ILS 33 TO LNDG.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.