Narrative:

A last min change of runways from runway 16R to runway 34R at rno. After passing vikes intersection, approach cleared flight to 9000 ft MSL, the IAF altitude, and vectored us inside wagge IAF. This caused us to pass directly over a 7864 ft peak which triggered 'terrain, terrain' caution. We had the peak visually beneath us and descended to 9000 ft and were cleared for the approach. We intercepted the final approach course well above the step-down altitudes with the terrain caution still activated. Went IFR for 10-15 seconds on course to runway 34L. Being hesitant to descend with the terrain caution on the GPWS, broke out way too high to safely effect a landing. Proceeded VFR to a downwind and landed safely. Several things contributed to our go around: 1) approach control vectoring us inside the IAF with a 60 degree intercept heading. 2) 35 KT tailwind on final -- 25 KTS at 50 ft on subsequent landing. 3) being unable to silence the GPWS terrain caution on final approach even though above the stepdown altitudes. I think the tower was in error switching runways. The prevailing wind was south all the time. After our landing, the tower immediately switched back to south approachs. On our landing they called the wind 320 degrees at 9 KTS, a reading which was taken at the north end of the field. The south end reading was 180 degrees at 20-25 KTS.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 PIC RPT ON BEING VECTORED TOO CLOSE TO TERRAIN AND HAVING TO EXECUTE AN ILS APCH TO A N RWY WITH A 25 KT TAILWIND AT RNO, NV.

Narrative: A LAST MIN CHANGE OF RWYS FROM RWY 16R TO RWY 34R AT RNO. AFTER PASSING VIKES INTXN, APCH CLRED FLT TO 9000 FT MSL, THE IAF ALT, AND VECTORED US INSIDE WAGGE IAF. THIS CAUSED US TO PASS DIRECTLY OVER A 7864 FT PEAK WHICH TRIGGERED 'TERRAIN, TERRAIN' CAUTION. WE HAD THE PEAK VISUALLY BENEATH US AND DSNDED TO 9000 FT AND WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH. WE INTERCEPTED THE FINAL APCH COURSE WELL ABOVE THE STEP-DOWN ALTS WITH THE TERRAIN CAUTION STILL ACTIVATED. WENT IFR FOR 10-15 SECONDS ON COURSE TO RWY 34L. BEING HESITANT TO DSND WITH THE TERRAIN CAUTION ON THE GPWS, BROKE OUT WAY TOO HIGH TO SAFELY EFFECT A LNDG. PROCEEDED VFR TO A DOWNWIND AND LANDED SAFELY. SEVERAL THINGS CONTRIBUTED TO OUR GAR: 1) APCH CTL VECTORING US INSIDE THE IAF WITH A 60 DEG INTERCEPT HDG. 2) 35 KT TAILWIND ON FINAL -- 25 KTS AT 50 FT ON SUBSEQUENT LNDG. 3) BEING UNABLE TO SILENCE THE GPWS TERRAIN CAUTION ON FINAL APCH EVEN THOUGH ABOVE THE STEPDOWN ALTS. I THINK THE TWR WAS IN ERROR SWITCHING RWYS. THE PREVAILING WIND WAS S ALL THE TIME. AFTER OUR LNDG, THE TWR IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED BACK TO S APCHS. ON OUR LNDG THEY CALLED THE WIND 320 DEGS AT 9 KTS, A READING WHICH WAS TAKEN AT THE N END OF THE FIELD. THE S END READING WAS 180 DEGS AT 20-25 KTS.

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.