Date: 202112
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: AVP.TRACON, PA
Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Initial Approach
Airspace: Class D AVP
ATC / advisory: Tower AVP
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Second reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Not Flying
Anomaly: Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Detector: Automation Aircraft Terrain Warning; Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Contributing factors: Airspace Structure; Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
Primary problem: Environment - Non Weather Related

Narrative: Descending into AVP we were working on our approach briefing when we received a smoke fwd lav warning message (separate report). Once we completed dealing with that we finished our briefings and checklists and made our way down to the field. We were at 4;000 ft and were cleared for a visual approach to Runway 22. I started a slow; shallow descent to 3;000 feet; while my First Officer kept eyes on the obstacles we had previously briefed and called them out to me. We captured 3;000 feet and turned base just outside of JULUT intersection. We had eyes on the terrain and obstacles and once we were clear I set 2;800 and started a descent. The descent triggered a GPWS message so we performed the escape maneuver; notified ATC and were assigned 4;000 feet and runway heading. We were at 4;200 feet when we leveled off and recovered; we then descended to 4;000; cleaned up the aircraft and then flew a left downwind and returned for the ILS 22.In retrospect we should stayed at 4;000 feet longer and given ourselves more space to fly the approach; or we could have just intercepted the glide slope from 3;000 feet. We also could have considered a holding pattern to gather our thoughts and re-brief our approach plan after finishing up with the smoke fwd lav indication.We were both fully aware of the terrain threats in AVP and had discussed them in our brief. At the time I felt we were ready to fly the approach safely and would be able to compartmentalize the two separate challenges. Looking back now I think after dealing with the smoke fwd lav problem we were both feeling task saturated and struggling to bring our attention back to what was in front of us. While I thought I had sufficiently cleared the terrain before descending; my descent triggered a GPWS caution.


Second narrative: Following a forward smoke lav warning message (separate report) and following QRH and QRC checklists we continued to descend to Scranton. We briefed the approach and discussed terrain awareness near the vicinity of the airport. On right downwind for Scranton at 4;000 we were cleared for the visual for Runway 22. We descended to 3;000 to clear terrain at 2;000 just outside JULUT that we had briefed and were aware of. Descent to 2;800 ft was made and we received the GPWS warning and proceeded to escape. We were given runway heading to 4;000 ft and then followed left downwind to an approach for ILS 22. We landed the aircraft and parked the plane at the gate.We should have stayed at 4;000 to cross the terrain then descended once past it. The incident of the FWD smoke lav warning and the desire to deal with the incident led to descending too soon for the GPWS warning.


Synopsis: Air carrier flight crew reported receiving a GPWS while inbound to AVP airport.