Narrative:

GPWS terrain warning sounded while flying sjc JAWS1 arrival. Occurred during descent to 5000 ft on 300 degree heading after puckk intersection. Crew immediately responded with aggressive climb. Radar altimeter came alive during the maneuver, although exact altitude reached is unclr. Climbed until warning ceased and advised ATC of our actions. Leveled off at 7500 ft. IFR conditions prevailed throughout the event. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter said that the captain was flying the aircraft and that they were descending at 2500 FPM and at 5500 ft they received a terrain warning. He said that the captain reacted quickly and started a maximum performance climb and he advised the controller. The controller answered after his second advisory and told him to turn to a heading and descend when they were clear. After landing, the reporter discussed the incident with members of the air carrier's flight department at sjc and was allegedly told that this has happened frequently there. The reporter said that may explain the controller's casual reaction to their climb reaction.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MD80 FLC RECEIVED A GPWS TERRAIN WARNING WHILE DSNDING OUT OF 5500 FT JUST TO THE W OF SJC. THE RPTR ALLEGEDLY SPOKE TO PERSONNEL AT HIS COMPANY'S FLT OFFICE IN SJC AND THEY SAID THAT THIS HAPPENS OFTEN IN THIS AREA.

Narrative: GPWS TERRAIN WARNING SOUNDED WHILE FLYING SJC JAWS1 ARR. OCCURRED DURING DSCNT TO 5000 FT ON 300 DEG HDG AFTER PUCKK INTXN. CREW IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED WITH AGGRESSIVE CLB. RADAR ALTIMETER CAME ALIVE DURING THE MANEUVER, ALTHOUGH EXACT ALT REACHED IS UNCLR. CLBED UNTIL WARNING CEASED AND ADVISED ATC OF OUR ACTIONS. LEVELED OFF AT 7500 FT. IFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED THROUGHOUT THE EVENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR SAID THAT THE CAPT WAS FLYING THE ACFT AND THAT THEY WERE DSNDING AT 2500 FPM AND AT 5500 FT THEY RECEIVED A TERRAIN WARNING. HE SAID THAT THE CAPT REACTED QUICKLY AND STARTED A MAX PERFORMANCE CLB AND HE ADVISED THE CTLR. THE CTLR ANSWERED AFTER HIS SECOND ADVISORY AND TOLD HIM TO TURN TO A HDG AND DSND WHEN THEY WERE CLR. AFTER LNDG, THE RPTR DISCUSSED THE INCIDENT WITH MEMBERS OF THE ACR'S FLT DEPT AT SJC AND WAS ALLEGEDLY TOLD THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED FREQUENTLY THERE. THE RPTR SAID THAT MAY EXPLAIN THE CTLR'S CASUAL REACTION TO THEIR CLB REACTION.

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.