B727 crew responds to GPWS while being vectored for approach at las.

Attributes
ACN	432543
Time
Date	199903
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : las.airport
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 5100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence Windshear
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : l30.tracon tower : las.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	432543
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : turbulence other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : gpws
Resolutory Action	flight crew : executed go around
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airport Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Situations
Airspace Structure	class b : las.b

Narrative:

Initially on vectors for runway 19 with winds 190-200 degrees, 18-23 KTS gusting to 34 KTS. Next approach controller vectored us east and asked if we wanted runway 25 -- said no. Put on wide downwind for runway 19 with subsequent dscnts to 6000 ft and then 5100 ft MSL. Turned for base. At 5100 ft MSL, level flight, 170 KIAS, and flaps 15 degrees, got GPWS warnings. Disconnected autoplt, firewalled engines, and began climb per SOP. Radio altimeter indicated 1200 ft AGL and decreasing. After 300-500 ft climb, warning stopped. Told ATC about our warning. Their reply was 'yeah, that happens there sometimes,' and that we were at the MVA. Subsequent transmission by another aircraft, we heard their GPWS going off. Why are we that low? Our engines may have been overboosted because of this practice. Don't even get me started about the lack of electronic guidance (other than PAPI) and lighting on runway 19.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CREW RESPONDS TO GPWS WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR APCH AT LAS.

Narrative: INITIALLY ON VECTORS FOR RWY 19 WITH WINDS 190-200 DEGS, 18-23 KTS GUSTING TO 34 KTS. NEXT APCH CTLR VECTORED US E AND ASKED IF WE WANTED RWY 25 -- SAID NO. PUT ON WIDE DOWNWIND FOR RWY 19 WITH SUBSEQUENT DSCNTS TO 6000 FT AND THEN 5100 FT MSL. TURNED FOR BASE. AT 5100 FT MSL, LEVEL FLT, 170 KIAS, AND FLAPS 15 DEGS, GOT GPWS WARNINGS. DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT, FIREWALLED ENGS, AND BEGAN CLB PER SOP. RADIO ALTIMETER INDICATED 1200 FT AGL AND DECREASING. AFTER 300-500 FT CLB, WARNING STOPPED. TOLD ATC ABOUT OUR WARNING. THEIR REPLY WAS 'YEAH, THAT HAPPENS THERE SOMETIMES,' AND THAT WE WERE AT THE MVA. SUBSEQUENT XMISSION BY ANOTHER ACFT, WE HEARD THEIR GPWS GOING OFF. WHY ARE WE THAT LOW? OUR ENGS MAY HAVE BEEN OVERBOOSTED BECAUSE OF THIS PRACTICE. DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ABOUT THE LACK OF ELECTRONIC GUIDANCE (OTHER THAN PAPI) AND LIGHTING ON RWY 19.

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.