A320 flight crew descending for a visual approach to bwi runway 10 is issued a terrain alert by pct ...

Attributes
ACN	607142
Time
Date	200402
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi.airport
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl single value : 1800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	607142
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot
Independent Detector	atc equipment : msaw aircraft equipment : gpws other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After flying the EMI 3 arrival, we were vectored toward final for runway 10 and then cleared for a visual about 15 or 20 mi out. I began to descend and had 1500 ft dialed in the altitude window. I planned to get down and then kill my extra airspeed so as to stabilize normally, which I did. During the descent at 1800 ft and 10.1 NM northwest of bwi, the controller said he was 'required' to tell us his low altitude warning was on. We thanked him and continued the approach normally. We also got a momentary GPWS terrain alert which immediately went away. The runway and terrain were in sight the whole time and the landing was uneventful. The purpose of this report is to advise that the MVA in that area is 2500 ft since we rarely get visuals that far out and from that direction. Also, there is a large antenna north of the field. It was in sight and well east of us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW DSNDING FOR A VISUAL APCH TO BWI RWY 10 IS ISSUED A TERRAIN ALERT BY PCT CTLR.

Narrative: AFTER FLYING THE EMI 3 ARR, WE WERE VECTORED TOWARD FINAL FOR RWY 10 AND THEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL ABOUT 15 OR 20 MI OUT. I BEGAN TO DSND AND HAD 1500 FT DIALED IN THE ALT WINDOW. I PLANNED TO GET DOWN AND THEN KILL MY EXTRA AIRSPD SO AS TO STABILIZE NORMALLY, WHICH I DID. DURING THE DSCNT AT 1800 FT AND 10.1 NM NW OF BWI, THE CTLR SAID HE WAS 'REQUIRED' TO TELL US HIS LOW ALT WARNING WAS ON. WE THANKED HIM AND CONTINUED THE APCH NORMALLY. WE ALSO GOT A MOMENTARY GPWS TERRAIN ALERT WHICH IMMEDIATELY WENT AWAY. THE RWY AND TERRAIN WERE IN SIGHT THE WHOLE TIME AND THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. THE PURPOSE OF THIS RPT IS TO ADVISE THAT THE MVA IN THAT AREA IS 2500 FT SINCE WE RARELY GET VISUALS THAT FAR OUT AND FROM THAT DIRECTION. ALSO, THERE IS A LARGE ANTENNA N OF THE FIELD. IT WAS IN SIGHT AND WELL E OF US.

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.

A320 flight crew descending for a visual approach to bwi runway 10 is issued a terrain alert by pct controller.