<< >> NASA ASRS Report 348155, September 1996

GPWS warning sends MD11F into an evasive action climb to avoid terrain in a night operation. Approach controller affirmed they had been at a safe MVA.

Attributes
ACN	348155
Time
Date	199609
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3200 msl bound upper : 3400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak tower : stl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-11
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	348155
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other
Situations
Airport	other physical facility

Narrative:

On a vector for runway 29 oak approximately 15-20 NM southeast of oak, cleared to descend to 3200 ft. Passing approximately 3400 ft, GPWS 'terrain' began alerting. Escape maneuver was executed per aircraft flight manual and climbed to 5000 ft and notified approach. They said 3200 ft was a good MVA for that area. 'Terrain' sounded 2 or 3 times until climb was underway. TCASII would have made the escape maneuver much safer in that crowded environment. I don't understand why TCASII is not required on large freighters!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GPWS WARNING SENDS MD11F INTO AN EVASIVE ACTION CLB TO AVOID TERRAIN IN A NIGHT OP. APCH CTLR AFFIRMED THEY HAD BEEN AT A SAFE MVA.

Narrative: ON A VECTOR FOR RWY 29 OAK APPROX 15-20 NM SE OF OAK, CLRED TO DSND TO 3200 FT. PASSING APPROX 3400 FT, GPWS 'TERRAIN' BEGAN ALERTING. ESCAPE MANEUVER WAS EXECUTED PER ACFT FLT MANUAL AND CLBED TO 5000 FT AND NOTIFIED APCH. THEY SAID 3200 FT WAS A GOOD MVA FOR THAT AREA. 'TERRAIN' SOUNDED 2 OR 3 TIMES UNTIL CLB WAS UNDERWAY. TCASII WOULD HAVE MADE THE ESCAPE MANEUVER MUCH SAFER IN THAT CROWDED ENVIRONMENT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY TCASII IS NOT REQUIRED ON LARGE FREIGHTERS!

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.