Altitude deviation altitude excursion. GPWS alert.

Attributes
ACN	227863
Time
Date	199212
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rno
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rno tower : pit
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	227863
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

Approaching reno from the northeast we had been level at 10000 ft for sometime and then cleared to 9500 ft. Before we could initiate the descent the GPWS started squawking repeated 'terrain' warning which upgraded to a full 'pull-up' warning which we complied with to stop the warning (climbed to about 11000 ft). Controller advised and he confirmed our sector was ok to 9500 ft. Approaching rno from the south you are cautioned about spurious 'terrain' warnings but I've never seen this from the north, especially a full 'pull-up.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION. GPWS ALERT.

Narrative: APCHING RENO FROM THE NE WE HAD BEEN LEVEL AT 10000 FT FOR SOMETIME AND THEN CLRED TO 9500 FT. BEFORE WE COULD INITIATE THE DSCNT THE GPWS STARTED SQUAWKING REPEATED 'TERRAIN' WARNING WHICH UPGRADED TO A FULL 'PULL-UP' WARNING WHICH WE COMPLIED WITH TO STOP THE WARNING (CLBED TO ABOUT 11000 FT). CTLR ADVISED AND HE CONFIRMED OUR SECTOR WAS OK TO 9500 FT. APCHING RNO FROM THE S YOU ARE CAUTIONED ABOUT SPURIOUS 'TERRAIN' WARNINGS BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS FROM THE N, ESPECIALLY A FULL 'PULL-UP.'

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.