Narrative:

We were assigned 9000 ft, and an intercept from the east for runway 34 localizer DME (backcourse) in rno. Headed approximately at wagge. Night visual conditions with a few scattered clouds. With airport and runway in sight level at 9000 approximately 17 DME on intercept heading (first officer flying with map displayed, I had raw data displayed and localizer in manual mode). We had discussed the terrain prior to and again once we were in the descent. At this time we received a terrain warning. We told approach we were getting the warning and would like to climb to silence the warning. We visually had the terrain but since it was night I was not comfortable with the situation. The warning changed as I was asking for altitude relief. I commanded the first officer to start a climb. At 9350 ft the warning ceased we were then cleared for localizer DME 34 back course/visual approach. Rest of approach/landing uneventful. When I told approach control that we were climbing that I could not ignore my cockpit warnings, he indicated that 'that was too bad' that it was 'probably the towers' that set off the warning. He did not indicate that our climbing to 9350 was a problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ON LOC DME BACKCOURSE APCH AT NIGHT HAS GPWS ALERT. CLBS.

Narrative: WE WERE ASSIGNED 9000 FT, AND AN INTERCEPT FROM THE E FOR RWY 34 LOC DME (BACKCOURSE) IN RNO. HEADED APPROX AT WAGGE. NIGHT VISUAL CONDITIONS WITH A FEW SCATTERED CLOUDS. WITH ARPT AND RWY IN SIGHT LEVEL AT 9000 APPROX 17 DME ON INTERCEPT HDG (FO FLYING WITH MAP DISPLAYED, I HAD RAW DATA DISPLAYED AND LOC IN MANUAL MODE). WE HAD DISCUSSED THE TERRAIN PRIOR TO AND AGAIN ONCE WE WERE IN THE DSCNT. AT THIS TIME WE RECEIVED A TERRAIN WARNING. WE TOLD APCH WE WERE GETTING THE WARNING AND WOULD LIKE TO CLB TO SILENCE THE WARNING. WE VISUALLY HAD THE TERRAIN BUT SINCE IT WAS NIGHT I WAS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE SITUATION. THE WARNING CHANGED AS I WAS ASKING FOR ALT RELIEF. I COMMANDED THE FO TO START A CLB. AT 9350 FT THE WARNING CEASED WE WERE THEN CLRED FOR LOC DME 34 BC/VISUAL APCH. REST OF APCH/LNDG UNEVENTFUL. WHEN I TOLD APCH CTL THAT WE WERE CLBING THAT I COULD NOT IGNORE MY COCKPIT WARNINGS, HE INDICATED THAT 'THAT WAS TOO BAD' THAT IT WAS 'PROBABLY THE TWRS' THAT SET OFF THE WARNING. HE DID NOT INDICATE THAT OUR CLBING TO 9350 WAS A PROBLEM.

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.