Air carrier crew flying the psp runway 31L night visual approach executed a terrain escape maneuver ...

Attributes
ACN	1335514
Time
Date	201602
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	PSP.Airport
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Large Transport Low Wing 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Route In Use	Visual Approach STAR SBONO1
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	GPWS
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying First Officer
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Type 5940
Person 2
Function	Captain Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 200 Flight Crew Total 14386 Flight Crew Type 4011
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Track / Heading All Types Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT

Narrative:

We were cleared and flew the SBONO1 arrival followed by the night visual approach runway 31L; to cross sbono at 7000 feet. After crossing sbono at 7000; 210 knots; flaps 1; I began the descent to cross the next to altitude of 6000 feet. At about 6400 feet; the 'terrain; terrain' audible warning sounded once. I looked at my nd and observed that the aircraft was about 0.3 NM right of course; and an amber terrain area about the size of a dime was displayed just to the right and slightly behind the aircraft. It should be noted that the inbound course on the arrival to sbono is 252 degrees and the outbound track from sbono is 192 degrees. During my approach brief at cruise; I had discussed the terrain and the terrain escape maneuver and the mandated maneuver compliance during night time operations. When the warning sounded; I announced that I was executing the escape maneuver. We climbed to 7000 feet; with the warning sounding only once. The captain advised ATC; and when we were assured of terrain clearance; we then continued the approach to landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air carrier crew flying the PSP Runway 31L night visual approach executed a terrain escape maneuver while descending toward 6;000 after an EGPWS terrain warning. The flight crew suspects an EGPWS database error because several similar EGPWS warnings have occurred in apparently safe descent states.

Narrative: We were cleared and flew the SBONO1 arrival followed by the night Visual Approach RWY 31L; to cross SBONO at 7000 feet. After crossing SBONO at 7000; 210 knots; flaps 1; I began the descent to cross the next to altitude of 6000 feet. At about 6400 feet; the 'Terrain; Terrain' audible warning sounded once. I looked at my ND and observed that the aircraft was about 0.3 NM right of course; and an amber terrain area about the size of a dime was displayed just to the right and slightly behind the aircraft. It should be noted that the inbound course on the arrival to SBONO is 252 degrees and the outbound track from SBONO is 192 degrees. During my approach brief at cruise; I had discussed the terrain and the terrain escape maneuver and the mandated maneuver compliance during night time operations. When the warning sounded; I announced that I was executing the escape maneuver. We climbed to 7000 feet; with the warning sounding only once. The Captain advised ATC; and when we were assured of terrain clearance; we then continued the approach to landing.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

Air carrier crew flying the psp runway 31L night visual approach executed a terrain escape maneuver while descending toward 6;000 after an egpws terrain warning. The flight crew suspects an egpws database error because several similar egpws warnings have occurred in apparently safe descent states.