Narrative:

Cleared for NDB a. We proceeded inbound (vc bird) zdx, at 2500 ft. At 1 mi from zdx, visually had airport and proceeded to turn right downwind for landing runway 7. At 8 DME during 400 FPM descent through 2000 ft, got momentary terrain GPWS warning and climbed to 2500 ft at 10 DME. Continued uneventful visual approach. With the anu VOR azimuth OTS and using the NDB a approach, it is very easy staying south of 7/25 to encroach on terrain southwest of runway that can cause GPWS warnings even with sufficient altitude due to the rising terrain. At our lowest altitude of 800 ft AGL on the radio altitude we received the warning. Obvious now, due to the rising hill that is overflown. A review is in order of the NDB a approach procedure and the limiting of no circling to the north. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter would not admit to being too high during the final phase of the NDB approach. He simply stated that he wished to avoid the higher terrain around the airport. He also mentioned the lack of some ground lighting due to the recent hurricane that did take out some local lighting on the ground around the airport. He said that the airline's union safety committee had gotten back to him and that they would be talking with him in the future. He is not communicating with his company except through the union. He did not experience any difficulty in maintaining VMC during the visual approach, having 3000 ft scattered clouds and 5 mi visibility. He did not answer any questions as to why the downwind was extended to over 8 mi other than state that he was still descending after crossing over the NDB at 2500 ft. The NDB crossing altitude is depicted as 1000 ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ARRIVING B727-200 PERFORMS A CIRCLING NDB A APCH TO RWY 7 AT ANU, FO, SINCE THE VOR AZIMUTH IS OTS AND THE STRAIGHT IN VOR DME FOR RWY 7 CANNOT BE USED. DURING THE CIRCLE TO THE SW THE ACFT ENCOUNTERS A GPWS AT 2000 FT MSL.

Narrative: CLRED FOR NDB A. WE PROCEEDED INBOUND (VC BIRD) ZDX, AT 2500 FT. AT 1 MI FROM ZDX, VISUALLY HAD ARPT AND PROCEEDED TO TURN R DOWNWIND FOR LNDG RWY 7. AT 8 DME DURING 400 FPM DSCNT THROUGH 2000 FT, GOT MOMENTARY TERRAIN GPWS WARNING AND CLBED TO 2500 FT AT 10 DME. CONTINUED UNEVENTFUL VISUAL APCH. WITH THE ANU VOR AZIMUTH OTS AND USING THE NDB A APCH, IT IS VERY EASY STAYING S OF 7/25 TO ENCROACH ON TERRAIN SW OF RWY THAT CAN CAUSE GPWS WARNINGS EVEN WITH SUFFICIENT ALT DUE TO THE RISING TERRAIN. AT OUR LOWEST ALT OF 800 FT AGL ON THE RADIO ALT WE RECEIVED THE WARNING. OBVIOUS NOW, DUE TO THE RISING HILL THAT IS OVERFLOWN. A REVIEW IS IN ORDER OF THE NDB A APCH PROC AND THE LIMITING OF NO CIRCLING TO THE N. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WOULD NOT ADMIT TO BEING TOO HIGH DURING THE FINAL PHASE OF THE NDB APCH. HE SIMPLY STATED THAT HE WISHED TO AVOID THE HIGHER TERRAIN AROUND THE ARPT. HE ALSO MENTIONED THE LACK OF SOME GND LIGHTING DUE TO THE RECENT HURRICANE THAT DID TAKE OUT SOME LCL LIGHTING ON THE GND AROUND THE ARPT. HE SAID THAT THE AIRLINE'S UNION SAFETY COMMITTEE HAD GOTTEN BACK TO HIM AND THAT THEY WOULD BE TALKING WITH HIM IN THE FUTURE. HE IS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH HIS COMPANY EXCEPT THROUGH THE UNION. HE DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY DIFFICULTY IN MAINTAINING VMC DURING THE VISUAL APCH, HAVING 3000 FT SCATTERED CLOUDS AND 5 MI VISIBILITY. HE DID NOT ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AS TO WHY THE DOWNWIND WAS EXTENDED TO OVER 8 MI OTHER THAN STATE THAT HE WAS STILL DSNDING AFTER XING OVER THE NDB AT 2500 FT. THE NDB XING ALT IS DEPICTED AS 1000 FT.

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.