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A TRACON controller claims that some aircraft are receiving GPWS alerts while on an ILS DME runway 33 approach at the MVA altitude of 5400 ft, and taking evasive action. The reporter has witnessed at least 6 incidents.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 394053 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199802 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : btv |
| State Reference | VT |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5400 msl bound upper : 5400 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : btv artcc : zfw |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller military : 3 controller radar : 16 |
| ASRS Report | 394053 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | oversight : supervisor |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Since the ILS DME runway 33 approach was commissioned late in 1997, there have been numerous incidents where aircraft equipped with GPWS have initiated a climb in the area idented above. I have personally witnessed over half a dozen myself. The area in question is on a left base leg for the ILS DME runway 33 approach and the reason for the low altitude alerts is rapidly rising terrain near mount ellen. All the aircraft have been level at or descending to 5400 ft (the MVA in the area). These occurrences have been brought to management's attention, but to date they don't appear to think it's a problem. Potentially it could be very dangerous, with some of aircraft involved climbing as much as 1500 ft in a matter of seconds in reference to other aircraft in the area. Possible remedies include establish a new MVA around mt ellen of 6000 ft, better training and awareness for the controllers to make everyone aware of the problem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A TRACON CTLR CLAIMS THAT SOME ACFT ARE RECEIVING GPWS ALERTS WHILE ON AN ILS DME RWY 33 APCH AT THE MVA ALT OF 5400 FT, AND TAKING EVASIVE ACTION. THE RPTR HAS WITNESSED AT LEAST 6 INCIDENTS.
Narrative: SINCE THE ILS DME RWY 33 APCH WAS COMMISSIONED LATE IN 1997, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS INCIDENTS WHERE ACFT EQUIPPED WITH GPWS HAVE INITIATED A CLB IN THE AREA IDENTED ABOVE. I HAVE PERSONALLY WITNESSED OVER HALF A DOZEN MYSELF. THE AREA IN QUESTION IS ON A L BASE LEG FOR THE ILS DME RWY 33 APCH AND THE REASON FOR THE LOW ALT ALERTS IS RAPIDLY RISING TERRAIN NEAR MOUNT ELLEN. ALL THE ACFT HAVE BEEN LEVEL AT OR DSNDING TO 5400 FT (THE MVA IN THE AREA). THESE OCCURRENCES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO MGMNT'S ATTN, BUT TO DATE THEY DON'T APPEAR TO THINK IT'S A PROB. POTENTIALLY IT COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS, WITH SOME OF ACFT INVOLVED CLBING AS MUCH AS 1500 FT IN A MATTER OF SECONDS IN REF TO OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA. POSSIBLE REMEDIES INCLUDE ESTABLISH A NEW MVA AROUND MT ELLEN OF 6000 FT, BETTER TRAINING AND AWARENESS FOR THE CTLRS TO MAKE EVERYONE AWARE OF THE PROB.
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.