Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Confusion; Workload; Troubleshooting; Distraction; Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Procedure; Human Factors
Just after takeoff we encountered fluctuating radar altimeter readings and associated nuisance GPWS alerts. I contacted Maintenance Control. I indicated numerous times that we had; in fact; departed. Maintenance Control advised us to pull and reset circuit breakers associated with the GPWS and radar altimeter system; which we did. At this time Maintenance Control realized that we were in the air already. We were then instructed to reset all circuit breakers; consult our QRH and talk to Flight Control for further instructions. When the circuit breakers were reset the problem initially corrected itself; but returned shortly thereafter. The Captain then consulted with Flight Control and we decided to return to the departure airport. The radar altimeter problem was intermittent with periodic RA flags; so I ran the QRH checklist again in preparation for landing. The rest of the flight was uneventful.My communication with Maintenance Control was lacking. However at no time did Maintenance Control verify if we were on the ground or in the air. Also; communication in the cockpit broke down and led to a violation of company SOPs; i.e. pulling circuit breakers in flight.I can double check something when it goes against SOPs. I assumed that the Captain felt as though pulling circuit breakers was necessary for the safe completion of the flight. I also assumed that Maintenance Control knew we were in flight and were giving us instructions accordingly. Neither of these two assumptions was explicitly stated; however. I know for next time.
After departure a CRJ-200 radio altimeter indication began fluctuating affecting the GPWS so; after resetting circuit breakers at Maintenance's advise; the aircraft returned to land with the faults continuing.