Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Physiological - Other; Situational Awareness
Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Weather
After takeoff on a RNAV departure going north; the Captain and I reached 1;000 FT AGL and starting cleaning up the airplane. The Captain lowered the nose and called for flaps 1 followed by flaps up and the After Takeoff Checklist. As I was going through the checklist; I noticed that the nose was still being lowered and reached a 0 degree pitch with a 1;000 FT/ per minute descent rate. I pointed out the issue to the Captain just before we receive a 'Don't Sink; Don't Sink' message from the GPWS. The Captain immediately corrected and returned to a normal climb/acceleration profile to reach 250 KTS and continue the climb to 10;000 FT.It seemed that the Captain was in a hurry to reach 250 KTS (no known reason) and failed to scan his instruments while doing so. We had no ground or air references to assist in knowing the current attitude of the aircraft. I could have delayed the After Takeoff Checklist and continued the monitor the Captain's hand flown departure until he had stabilized the pitch at a proper speed and climb rate. The only thing I can think of to keep this from happening again is for the company to require all RNAV departures in IMC conditions to be flown by the autopilot. I personally do not like this course of action but it would have kept us from getting the GPWS warning (if the automation is set to climb in SPEED MODE) and in a positive rate of climb while accelerating.
During initial climb the Captain of a CL600-2D24 triggered the GPWS system with an unnoticed 1;000 FT FPM descent at 250 KTS. The aircraft had reached 1;000 FT AGL and the First Officer had begun reconfiguring the aircraft for climb when he noticed the deviation and notified the pilot flying just as the GPWS activated. The condition was then immediately corrected and a normal climb profile established.