Large transport crew responded to a GPWS alert by climbing.

Attributes
ACN	425989
Time
Date	199901
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	425989
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 4150 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	426270
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were instructed to descend to 2500 ft (somewhere just east of smo) while on an assigned heading of 065 degrees and were to expect runway 24R at lax. Just after we were given a heading for our base leg when we got a GPWS warning. The first officer was flying, we initiated a climb and advised ATC. I told ATC that we received a ground proximity warning and we were climbing. The climb was stopped when the GPWS warning stopped and we leveled at 3500 ft. At this point we were 19.5 mi from lax (localizer DME). ATC pointed out some traffic and told us that separation had been lost (we received no TCASII alert). We descended back down to 2500 ft and the subsequent approach and landing was uneventful.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT CREW RESPONDED TO A GPWS ALERT BY CLBING.

Narrative: WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO DSND TO 2500 FT (SOMEWHERE JUST E OF SMO) WHILE ON AN ASSIGNED HDG OF 065 DEGS AND WERE TO EXPECT RWY 24R AT LAX. JUST AFTER WE WERE GIVEN A HEADING FOR OUR BASE LEG WHEN WE GOT A GPWS WARNING. THE FO WAS FLYING, WE INITIATED A CLB AND ADVISED ATC. I TOLD ATC THAT WE RECEIVED A GND PROX WARNING AND WE WERE CLBING. THE CLB WAS STOPPED WHEN THE GPWS WARNING STOPPED AND WE LEVELED AT 3500 FT. AT THIS POINT WE WERE 19.5 MI FROM LAX (LOC DME). ATC POINTED OUT SOME TFC AND TOLD US THAT SEPARATION HAD BEEN LOST (WE RECEIVED NO TCASII ALERT). WE DSNDED BACK DOWN TO 2500 FT AND THE SUBSEQUENT APCH AND LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL.

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.