An air carrier medium large transport responded to a GPWS command on the approach course.

Attributes
ACN	261863
Time
Date	199401
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fai
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3700 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fai
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	261863
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On an extended downwind radar vector for ILS to runway 34R at fai, approach cleared us to descend to 3700 degrees. I knew the highest peak was 2700 ft and, during visual approachs from the north, the ground proximity will give a terrain warning. I should have told the copilot (flying) and controller that we would remain at 5000 ft until final to avoid the warning. As we descended through 4000 ft on a base leg, the ground proximity gave us a 'terrain, terrain' warning. We climbed through 5000 ft and then continued the approach. Fai approach asked our altitude, and I told him we had to climb for a ground proximity warning.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG RESPONDED TO A GPWS COMMAND ON THE APCH COURSE.

Narrative: ON AN EXTENDED DOWNWIND RADAR VECTOR FOR ILS TO RWY 34R AT FAI, APCH CLRED US TO DSND TO 3700 DEGS. I KNEW THE HIGHEST PEAK WAS 2700 FT AND, DURING VISUAL APCHS FROM THE N, THE GND PROX WILL GIVE A TERRAIN WARNING. I SHOULD HAVE TOLD THE COPLT (FLYING) AND CTLR THAT WE WOULD REMAIN AT 5000 FT UNTIL FINAL TO AVOID THE WARNING. AS WE DSNDED THROUGH 4000 FT ON A BASE LEG, THE GND PROX GAVE US A 'TERRAIN, TERRAIN' WARNING. WE CLBED THROUGH 5000 FT AND THEN CONTINUED THE APCH. FAI APCH ASKED OUR ALT, AND I TOLD HIM WE HAD TO CLB FOR A GND PROX WARNING.

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.