ATR72 flight crew is on visual approach to runway 5 with traffic turning base to final for runway 23...

Attributes
ACN	385162
Time
Date	199711
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tri
State Reference	TN
Altitude	agl bound lower : 700 agl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : tri
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	SA-227 AC Metro III
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Gulfstream Jet Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	385162
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were cleared for a visual approach to runway 5 into tri-cities at 12 mi southwest. A gulfstream was on a controled downwind for a visual to runway 23. Both of us were on tower frequency. We were lined up on the localizer for runway 23 using the VASI for runway 5 for vertical guidance. At approximately 0.8 to 1.0 mi from the airport the VASI showed us slightly above the GS. The radar altimeter showed us approximately 700 ft. At this time we had full landing confign. Also, at this point we received the GPWS 'terrain, terrain' 'pull up, pull up.' the gulfstream was approximately 3 mi out on base to final for runway 23. Instead of going around and risking a potential midair conflict we resolved upon obvious instrument and visual cues we should continue a normal approach and landing. We landed within the touchdown zone normally without any abrupt corrective action. We informed the tower of the alert. The coordinated decisions between the PIC and myself were made for safety considerations even though the company procedure is to obey all GPWS at night, no matter if erroneous or visual cues could permit otherwise. I believe procedurally authority/authorized should be given to the flight crew in VMC conditions (including night) to prevent obvious erroneous GPWS alerts to be disregarded, especially if safety of flight is a serious consideration.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATR72 FLC IS ON VISUAL APCH TO RWY 5 WITH TFC TURNING BASE TO FINAL FOR RWY 23 WHEN THEY RECEIVE A GPWS ALERT. BECAUSE THEY CAN SEE THEY ARE ON GS AND NO TERRAIN PROB, THEY DECIDE TO CONTINUE APCH RATHER THAN GO MISSED DUE TO OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 5 INTO TRI-CITIES AT 12 MI SW. A GULFSTREAM WAS ON A CTLED DOWNWIND FOR A VISUAL TO RWY 23. BOTH OF US WERE ON TWR FREQ. WE WERE LINED UP ON THE LOC FOR RWY 23 USING THE VASI FOR RWY 5 FOR VERT GUIDANCE. AT APPROX 0.8 TO 1.0 MI FROM THE ARPT THE VASI SHOWED US SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE GS. THE RADAR ALTIMETER SHOWED US APPROX 700 FT. AT THIS TIME WE HAD FULL LNDG CONFIGN. ALSO, AT THIS POINT WE RECEIVED THE GPWS 'TERRAIN, TERRAIN' 'PULL UP, PULL UP.' THE GULFSTREAM WAS APPROX 3 MI OUT ON BASE TO FINAL FOR RWY 23. INSTEAD OF GOING AROUND AND RISKING A POTENTIAL MIDAIR CONFLICT WE RESOLVED UPON OBVIOUS INST AND VISUAL CUES WE SHOULD CONTINUE A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG. WE LANDED WITHIN THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE NORMALLY WITHOUT ANY ABRUPT CORRECTIVE ACTION. WE INFORMED THE TWR OF THE ALERT. THE COORDINATED DECISIONS BTWN THE PIC AND MYSELF WERE MADE FOR SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS EVEN THOUGH THE COMPANY PROC IS TO OBEY ALL GPWS AT NIGHT, NO MATTER IF ERRONEOUS OR VISUAL CUES COULD PERMIT OTHERWISE. I BELIEVE PROCEDURALLY AUTH SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE FLC IN VMC CONDITIONS (INCLUDING NIGHT) TO PREVENT OBVIOUS ERRONEOUS GPWS ALERTS TO BE DISREGARDED, ESPECIALLY IF SAFETY OF FLT IS A SERIOUS CONSIDERATION.

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.

ATR72 flight crew is on visual approach to runway 5 with traffic turning base to final for runway 23 when they receive a GPWS alert. Because they can see they are on GS and no terrain problem, they decide to continue approach rather than go missed due to opposite direction traffic.