EMB ERJ 170/175 ER/LR
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Training / Qualification
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory
Human Factors; Procedure
We were on a flight going into ZZZ and we were cleared down to 4000' MSL on a 100 heading from Approach Control. The weather was clear and we were told to expect a visual approach for RWY XX which we were backing up with the RNAV Z RWY XX. At about 5 miles south of the airport while still in the descent down to 4000' MSL we reported field in sight to approach control and they cleared us for the visual approach and told us to contact Tower. I set the altitude to the FAF altitude of 1600 feet to continue descent and configuration for the visual approach. Tower said to continue in the downwind to put ourselves on a 6 mile squared base to final to get in sequence to land. The CA (Captain) set up a 6 mile ring for reference off of the airport on the MFD. At some point I realized we were still high and needed to get down to the FAF altitude and continue to configure in order to be stable for the visual approach in the shorter than expected distance requested by Tower so I deployed the speed brakes to quicken the descent and continued to configure. Right about the point where we needed to start a base turn we got an amber GND PRX (Ground Proximity) annunciation on the attitude indicator and associated audio; at about 1800' MSL. This was due to some rising terrain that was to the south of the airport. The CA immediately said turn the auto pilot off and climb which I was about to do. He set the altitude to 2000' MSL which I overshot some in the climb and I turned base. We continued to configure; and completed the visual approach with no issues. Nothing was said by ATC about our altitude. I was not anticipating a turn from downwind to base in the distance requested from Tower so I felt we were not in a position to make that approach at the current altitude and speed. So I attempted to quicken the descent rate with the speed brakes in the downwind to bring the aircraft to an altitude to make a stable visual approach while staying within the distance constraint Tower instructed us to. At the time I felt I wouldn't be in position to make a stable visual approach if I didn't quicken the descent and configure while staying within the distance constraints Tower requested. I realize that if I didn't attempt to quicken the descent I would have already been on the base to final turn when I was at that altitude and away from the rising terrain. I would have extended the downwind with a shallower descent angle and been at a higher altitude when turning base to arrive on the final segment at the FAF altitude. Another alternate method I could have set a higher altitude such as a safe traffic pattern altitude while on downwind and wait until base to final to set the FAF altitude.
EMB 175 Flight Crew received a ground proximity warning during approach to land.