Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Human-Machine Interface; Confusion; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Aircraft Equipment Problem Dissipated; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew FLC Overrode Automation
Aircraft
While in the approach phase of flight; ATC gave us a descent to 3;000 feet. Crew started the descent with a 500-600 FPM and around 3;800 feet; crew received a GPWS TERRAIN alert followed with a PULL UP command. Crew arrested the descent; applied climb power and began to climb. Pilot Monitoring called ATC and advised of the GPWS warning and will level off at 5;000 feet. ATC acknowledge the climb and advised that 3;000 feet is a safe altitude for the sector we were in and not sure why we got the TERRAIN warning. In the approach chart the highest obstacles are 2;049 feet; and 3;100 feet is the MSA west of the ACO VOR. ATC instructed us to maintain 5;000 feet and to descend at pilot discretion to 3;000 feet and cleared us for the visual approach to Runway 19. Captain decided to start the descent to 3;500 feet when intercepted the localizer inbound to Runway 19. Once established on the localizer; captured the glideslope and landed. During the entire approach it was night VFR.
We were in the terminal environment descending into the CAK airspace. We were vectored into the left downwind Runway 19 and told by ATC to descend to 3;000 feet. In our descent; we get an aural 'terrain.' We looked at the map and saw a tower at about 2;000 feet. I slowed descent rate to 500 FPM and noted on my [Jeppesen] chart that we were about right over the Tower so I was comfortable to continue to descent at the 500 FPM. At about 3;800 feet; we get an aural warning; 'too low terrain; pull up' message. I [disconnected] the autopilot and took evasive action. We climbed to 5;300 feet; notified ATC; and leveled off at 5;000 feet. The Controller told us that we are safe at 3;000 feet however to again descend Pilot's Discretion to 3;000 feet. We again initiated a slow descent; 500 FPM; and never got a warning again.Prior to this event happening; we had gotten two to three aural sounds that sounded like the gear horn for a second at a time; spaced out over a minute. This had happened 3-5 mins before the evasive action was initiated. I've had this happen once before and believe it's the radio altimeter acting up. I have a suspicion that this could be linked to the EGPWS warning. There was a tower close to where we were; but it's at 2;000 feet (700 feet AGL). We were nowhere near that low (4;000 feet) and ATC was also a little baffled over the radio that we got a warning. I've looked online and don't see any obstacle or terrain; however at the end of the day; I immediately executed evasive action when I heard the aural warning. I did notice as soon as I started up the aural warning stopped immediately.
Air carrier flight crew reported an aural terrain warning while descending to CAK airport in an area where the Minimum Safe Altitude was lower than the aircraft's altitude.