Narrative:

Flight from abe to btv had been cleared down to 2000 ft and cleared to heading 330 degrees to intercept the 216 degree radial. We had then been cleared for the VOR or GPS runway 1 approach circle to land runway 33 at btv. We were IMC at the time with light to moderate rime ice. We intercepted the radial inbound and at 9 DME from btv I set up about a 300-500 FPM descent down to 1700 ft. As soon as I pushed the nose gear over the GPWS alerted, 'too low, terrain, whoop whoop, pull up!' we then proceeded to execute the missed approach. I believe there is a 'hill' very close to that position on the approach and even though the captain IOE student (sitting in the left seat), nor I ever saw less than 1000 ft on the radar altimeter, I believe that is what set off the warning. I believe the best corrective action would be for the controller to not give quite so low an initial altitude to start the approach. The approach chart calls for 2700 ft until 10 mi from the VOR, then down to 1700 ft. Maybe an altitude closer to published would be in order so that you aren't quite so close to the hill. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the PIC did talk with the approach controller regarding this GPWS activation. Although the controller did mention that another air carrier had a similar experience a week before, he did not act as though there was any problem with the approach or altitude clearance. Reporter did not press on him for a resolution to this incident. He has not had this happen to him on any previous approachs into btv. His air carrier was notified of the event. Reporter is a check pilot and had a student captain in training in this B727-100F. The student captain's response to the GPWS was an instant pull up, go around maneuver.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CARGO ACFT ON APCH TO BTV RECEIVES A GPWS WHILE IMC.

Narrative: FLT FROM ABE TO BTV HAD BEEN CLRED DOWN TO 2000 FT AND CLRED TO HDG 330 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE 216 DEG RADIAL. WE HAD THEN BEEN CLRED FOR THE VOR OR GPS RWY 1 APCH CIRCLE TO LAND RWY 33 AT BTV. WE WERE IMC AT THE TIME WITH LIGHT TO MODERATE RIME ICE. WE INTERCEPTED THE RADIAL INBOUND AND AT 9 DME FROM BTV I SET UP ABOUT A 300-500 FPM DSCNT DOWN TO 1700 FT. AS SOON AS I PUSHED THE NOSE GEAR OVER THE GPWS ALERTED, 'TOO LOW, TERRAIN, WHOOP WHOOP, PULL UP!' WE THEN PROCEEDED TO EXECUTE THE MISSED APCH. I BELIEVE THERE IS A 'HILL' VERY CLOSE TO THAT POS ON THE APCH AND EVEN THOUGH THE CAPT IOE STUDENT (SITTING IN THE L SEAT), NOR I EVER SAW LESS THAN 1000 FT ON THE RADAR ALTIMETER, I BELIEVE THAT IS WHAT SET OFF THE WARNING. I BELIEVE THE BEST CORRECTIVE ACTION WOULD BE FOR THE CTLR TO NOT GIVE QUITE SO LOW AN INITIAL ALT TO START THE APCH. THE APCH CHART CALLS FOR 2700 FT UNTIL 10 MI FROM THE VOR, THEN DOWN TO 1700 FT. MAYBE AN ALT CLOSER TO PUBLISHED WOULD BE IN ORDER SO THAT YOU AREN'T QUITE SO CLOSE TO THE HILL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE PIC DID TALK WITH THE APCH CTLR REGARDING THIS GPWS ACTIVATION. ALTHOUGH THE CTLR DID MENTION THAT ANOTHER ACR HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE A WK BEFORE, HE DID NOT ACT AS THOUGH THERE WAS ANY PROB WITH THE APCH OR ALT CLRNC. RPTR DID NOT PRESS ON HIM FOR A RESOLUTION TO THIS INCIDENT. HE HAS NOT HAD THIS HAPPEN TO HIM ON ANY PREVIOUS APCHS INTO BTV. HIS ACR WAS NOTIFIED OF THE EVENT. RPTR IS A CHK PLT AND HAD A STUDENT CAPT IN TRAINING IN THIS B727-100F. THE STUDENT CAPT'S RESPONSE TO THE GPWS WAS AN INSTANT PULL UP, GAR MANEUVER.

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.