An air carrier flight crew reports responding to a GPWS pull up warning and climbing to within 200 ft of the assigned altitude of another aircraft in the vicinity. Upon notification, the approach controller instructed the crew to return immediately to 5000 ft stating that terrain was not a factor.

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Attributes
ACN	333330
Time
Date	199604
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6800
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	333330
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	333329
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24000 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

We were on a 270 degree radar vector and had just leveled at 5000 ft MSL when the GPWS terrain warning sounded. The autoplt was disconnected and a rapid climb initiated. The warning stopped at approximately 6500 ft and climb was arrested at 6800 ft. I called bay approach during the climb to tell them we were responding to a terrain warning. They responded that terrain was not a factor and requested an immediate descent to 5000 ft. By this time we had leveled off and we expedited descent back to 5000 ft. ATC also informed us that we had traffic close by at 7000 ft. I called bay approach after arrival to discuss our arrival over mt diablo. They say they need us at 5000 ft over mt diablo due to airspace restrs. They also stated that another airlines MD80's also used to get terrain warnings over mt diablo and that the airline has made a GPWS software change to eliminate the problem. I would like to see the routing changed so that we don't have to come in right over the highest point within 50 mi. Supplemental information from acn 333329: received GPWS warning pull up command.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC RPTS RESPONDING TO A GPWS PULL UP WARNING AND CLBING TO WITHIN 200 FT OF THE ASSIGNED ALT OF ANOTHER ACFT IN THE VICINITY. UPON NOTIFICATION, THE APCH CTLR INSTRUCTED THE CREW TO RETURN IMMEDIATELY TO 5000 FT STATING THAT TERRAIN WAS NOT A FACTOR.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A 270 DEG RADAR VECTOR AND HAD JUST LEVELED AT 5000 FT MSL WHEN THE GPWS TERRAIN WARNING SOUNDED. THE AUTOPLT WAS DISCONNECTED AND A RAPID CLB INITIATED. THE WARNING STOPPED AT APPROX 6500 FT AND CLB WAS ARRESTED AT 6800 FT. I CALLED BAY APCH DURING THE CLB TO TELL THEM WE WERE RESPONDING TO A TERRAIN WARNING. THEY RESPONDED THAT TERRAIN WAS NOT A FACTOR AND REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO 5000 FT. BY THIS TIME WE HAD LEVELED OFF AND WE EXPEDITED DSCNT BACK TO 5000 FT. ATC ALSO INFORMED US THAT WE HAD TFC CLOSE BY AT 7000 FT. I CALLED BAY APCH AFTER ARR TO DISCUSS OUR ARR OVER MT DIABLO. THEY SAY THEY NEED US AT 5000 FT OVER MT DIABLO DUE TO AIRSPACE RESTRS. THEY ALSO STATED THAT ANOTHER AIRLINES MD80'S ALSO USED TO GET TERRAIN WARNINGS OVER MT DIABLO AND THAT THE AIRLINE HAS MADE A GPWS SOFTWARE CHANGE TO ELIMINATE THE PROB. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE ROUTING CHANGED SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO COME IN RIGHT OVER THE HIGHEST POINT WITHIN 50 MI. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 333329: RECEIVED GPWS WARNING PULL UP COMMAND.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.