Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors
On the downwind to [Runway] 34 in ROA; we requested the ILS rather than the visual approach. We were being vectored for the ILS when we saw another aircraft climbing out of ROA. The aircraft stopped climb and we were turned to from a 170 heading to a 270 heading and tracked through the valley at 5;200 FT. We did not receive a TA or RA. The other aircraft resumed climb and we were told to expect the LDA 6; but declined and requested the ILS 34. We were vectored back to the south over the mountains. A few minutes later we received a GPWS warning 'Too low terrain; Pull Up'; I executed the escape maneuver and the First Officer advised that we received a GPWS warning at 5;200 FT the Controller seemed confused. We returned to the assigned altitude and continued to be vectored for the ILS without further disruption.
EMB-145 Captain reported receiving a GPWS terrain alert while on vectors for an approach to ROA. Reporter feels this was controller error.