Corporate flight crew reports EGPWS terrain warning during visual approach to MSO. The flying First Officer elects to ignore it initially but the Captain suggests a pull up. Approach continues to a visual landing.
Synopsis
Corporate flight crew reports EGPWS terrain warning during visual approach to MSO. The flying First Officer elects to ignore it initially but the Captain suggests a pull up. Approach continues to a visual landing.
Narrative
We were descending to the cleared altitude of 8;500 FT MSL and Spokane Approach gave us the clearance for the visual approach and we had the Missoula airport and all surrounding terrain in sight. I adjusted the heading to a right base leg towards the 5 mile intercept for the Runway 29 final approach course and was descending on a stabilized descent at approximately 1;500 FPM to intercept the VPATH. While slowing from 200 KIAS to 170 KIAS and configured at flaps 20; we had an initial EGPWS terrain warning and shallowed the descent rate. The terrain alert display showed an area in red to the left of the aircraft and a subsequent EGPWS warning as received. I disconnected the autopilot and executed a GPWS pull-up maneuver for a very brief time and then returned to the VPATH for the rest of the visual approach to landing. I was visual at the time of the EGPWS alerts and verified the flight path was clear of all terrain and could be continued. The pilot not flying called for the pull-up and I complied. Monitor the look ahead EGPWS display closely and avoid penetrating the higher amber area. Discuss as a crew if there is a GPWS pull-up alert how you will react in visual conditions.
Second reporter narrative
During final approach into MSO I was the pilot not flying of a non passenger flight to position for a flight the next day. We had been cleared for a visual approach and the pilot flying decided to leave our assigned altitude of 8;500 FT using the autopilot in VVS. During the descent in a mountainous area the TAWS announced 'terrain; terrain' and the pilot flying said 'visual; continuing'. The pilot flying arrested the descent rate and the TAWS cleared at which point we continued the approach to a normal landing.I believe that the momentary sink rate increase on visual approach may have caused the TAWS to activate. During our debrief the pilot flying and I discussed maintaining a higher altitude prior to starting the visual descent. I personally think that flying the aircraft manually may have helped the pilot flying with a more deliberate recovery of the sink rate during the TAWS activation.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.