A CRJ200 on a night visual to tus runway 11L received an egpws terrain warning at about 5;200 ft 2 m...

Narrative:

We crossed mavva at 11;000 on the dingo 5 arrival for tus runway 11L. Controller issued [us] direct to calls descend to 7;000 ft. Approximately half way to calls at about 7;500 the controller asked if we had the field; I could see the field perfectly and answered yes; controller cleared us for the visual to 11L. I set 5;000 in the altitude alerter for calls and continued on the previous track to calls. I was set up to level off at 5;000 ft approximately 2 miles prior to calls (planning to level off; finish slowing and configure flaps 20 by calls). At approximately 5;200 ft and 2 miles prior to calls we got the terrain warning. I immediately canceled autopilot and pitch up 10 degrees and added power to climb to 6;500 ft. Just as I started to climb the controller called and said we were a low alt alert and that the MVA for that location was 5;900 ft. Problems solved we cleared calls at 5;900 ft and landed with no further issues. I never lost sight of the airport! It was a dark night the terrain was just another dark spot amongst the other lights and dark spots. I had no way of knowing that the MVA was 5;900 ft. We briefed a visual and only backed it up with the localizer frequency and the approach starting at calls. I was completely unaware of the terrain that is right under the approach path. I did not study the approach plate to 11L prior to this event I was on a visual with the field in sight and because of the cavu felt no need to make a full brief that one would make if they were performing a complete ILS approach in weather. After talking with the captain; I more than agree we need to have a note in the 10-7 communicating the tribal knowledge of the MVA and the terrain at this and all the airports. Also I plan to make a full approach (ILS or whatever) into all night approaches as the terrain is unseen to stay on the safety of proven routes and altitudes. I would suggest that this become a policy as well.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ200 on a night visual to TUS Runway 11L received an EGPWS Terrain Warning at about 5;200 FT 2 miles prior to CALLS and executed the escape maneuver just as ATC called to notify them about that location's 5;900 FT MVA.

Narrative: We crossed MAVVA at 11;000 on the DINGO 5 arrival for TUS Runway 11L. Controller issued [us] direct to CALLS descend to 7;000 FT. Approximately half way to CALLS at about 7;500 the Controller asked if we had the field; I could see the field perfectly and answered yes; Controller cleared us for the visual to 11L. I set 5;000 in the altitude alerter for CALLS and continued on the previous track to CALLS. I was set up to level off at 5;000 FT approximately 2 miles prior to CALLS (planning to level off; finish slowing and configure flaps 20 by CALLS). At approximately 5;200 FT and 2 miles prior to CALLS we got the terrain warning. I immediately canceled autopilot and pitch up 10 degrees and added power to climb to 6;500 FT. Just as I started to climb the Controller called and said we were a low alt alert and that the MVA for that location was 5;900 FT. problems solved we cleared CALLS at 5;900 FT and landed with no further issues. I NEVER LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRPORT! It was a dark night the terrain was just another dark spot amongst the other lights and dark spots. I had NO way of knowing that the MVA was 5;900 FT. We briefed a VISUAL and only backed it up with the LOC frequency and the approach starting at CALLS. I was completely unaware of the terrain that is right under the approach path. I did not study the approach plate to 11L prior to this event I was on a visual with the field in sight and because of the CAVU felt no need to make a full brief that one would make if they were performing a complete ILS approach in weather. After talking with the Captain; I more than agree we need to have a note in the 10-7 communicating the tribal knowledge of the MVA and the terrain at this and all the airports. Also I plan to make a full approach (ILS or whatever) into all night approaches as the terrain is unseen to stay on the safety of proven routes and altitudes. I would suggest that this become a policy as well.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.

Attributes
ACN	1010598
Time
Date	201205
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	TUS.Airport
State Reference	AZ
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Route In Use	Visual Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying First Officer
Qualification	Flight Crew Commercial
Person 2
Function	Captain Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT

A CRJ200 on a night visual to tus runway 11L received an egpws terrain warning at about 5;200 ft 2 miles prior to calls and executed the escape maneuver just as ATC called to notify them about that location's 5;900 ft MVA.