Airblue down near Islamabad

[PEI_3721]

HundredPercentPlease # 595

In training, we have 2 clear scenarios for dealing with a GPWS warning.
1. If IMC, perform the escape manoeuvre.
2. If visual, continue if it's false, otherwise escape.

and “… something that may need changing.”

I suggest that the safety attitude and training are very outdated and both require changing. Enhanced GPWS (EGPWS) is a very much more capable and reliable system than in previous years. Also, with improved aircraft systems and installations, and the use of embedded GPS, it is more likely that the crew will be mistaken than experience an ‘inappropriate’ warning. Even in visual conditions, humans can suffer illusions or incorrectly interpret a situation (Celebrating TAWS ‘Saves’: But lessons still to be learnt. Incidents 1, 3, 4, 7, and 8).
Any delay in pulling up, such as a few seconds considering the validity of a warning, could be fatal. It’s only after the event, with the luxury of time (and safe altitude) that the appropriateness of a warning might be established.
Never assume that a warning is false.

p51guy, # 599. I suggest that you review your safety reporting and investigating procedures, and contact Honeywell for assistance. There are very few airports where a fully configured EGPWS (embedded GPS, latest software and database updates) will cause problems.

bearfoil, # 601. “… so these two crashes were essentially opposites, …”
Not if both crews were head down? And if Airblue were ‘head down’ and failed to respond to a warning (or without a warning due to a map shift), we have another similar accident.
Accidents of human nature?