An A320 flight crew on a night visual approach to btv got a GPWS 'terrain; terrain; pull up' warning...

Attributes
ACN	708842
Time
Date	200609
Place
Locale Reference	airport : btv.airport
State Reference	VT
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : btv.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 193 flight time total : 6800 flight time type : 4800
ASRS Report	708842
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : gpws
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to assigned altitude
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Day 3 of a 4-DAY. Fourth flight of the day. Late departing. Night visual approach. Air carrier specific page says to stay above 2000 ft when accepting the visual southwest of the airport. Noted and discussed to intercept final at about 6 mi on the ILS. Got cleared the visual. Was following game plan until approximately abeam ILS 4 mi and turned base. Realizing I would be high on final I started a descent with gear down approximately 200 KTS. I realized I was descending and shallowed my descent then got terrain ahead followed immediately by 'terrain; terrain; pull up.' altitude approximately 1700 ft. I executed the terrain avoidance maneuver and continued to an uneventful landing. Factors: although I did not feel tired; it had been a long day. Delay in ord with a minimal layover affected my decision to not follow my own game plan which would have kept me well clear of terrain. Night visual cues influenced my desire to 'turn towards the light' runway. Descent initiated early knowing I was turning inside my planned intercept point and would be high on final. Crew coordination; communication and climate were fine; I just didn't stick to the plan. First time into btv.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 FLT CREW ON A NIGHT VISUAL APCH TO BTV GOT A GPWS 'TERRAIN; TERRAIN; PULL UP' WARNING WHEN THEY DSNDED BELOW MINIMUM RECOMMENDED ALT ON BASE TO FINAL TURN.

Narrative: DAY 3 OF A 4-DAY. FOURTH FLT OF THE DAY. LATE DEPARTING. NIGHT VISUAL APCH. ACR SPECIFIC PAGE SAYS TO STAY ABOVE 2000 FT WHEN ACCEPTING THE VISUAL SW OF THE ARPT. NOTED AND DISCUSSED TO INTERCEPT FINAL AT ABOUT 6 MI ON THE ILS. GOT CLRED THE VISUAL. WAS FOLLOWING GAME PLAN UNTIL APPROX ABEAM ILS 4 MI AND TURNED BASE. REALIZING I WOULD BE HIGH ON FINAL I STARTED A DSCNT WITH GEAR DOWN APPROX 200 KTS. I REALIZED I WAS DSNDING AND SHALLOWED MY DSCNT THEN GOT TERRAIN AHEAD FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY 'TERRAIN; TERRAIN; PULL UP.' ALT APPROX 1700 FT. I EXECUTED THE TERRAIN AVOIDANCE MANEUVER AND CONTINUED TO AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. FACTORS: ALTHOUGH I DID NOT FEEL TIRED; IT HAD BEEN A LONG DAY. DELAY IN ORD WITH A MINIMAL LAYOVER AFFECTED MY DECISION TO NOT FOLLOW MY OWN GAME PLAN WHICH WOULD HAVE KEPT ME WELL CLR OF TERRAIN. NIGHT VISUAL CUES INFLUENCED MY DESIRE TO 'TURN TOWARDS THE LIGHT' RWY. DSCNT INITIATED EARLY KNOWING I WAS TURNING INSIDE MY PLANNED INTERCEPT POINT AND WOULD BE HIGH ON FINAL. CREW COORD; COM AND CLIMATE WERE FINE; I JUST DIDN'T STICK TO THE PLAN. FIRST TIME INTO BTV.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

An A320 flight crew on a night visual approach to btv got a GPWS 'terrain; terrain; pull up' warning when they descended below minimum recommended altitude on base to final turn.