Narrative:

Cleared 'for the visibility' by bay approach for a runway 29 approach into oakland in excellent VFR conditions. Cleared to cross oak 6 DME at 2000'. Captain flying, started descent down to 2000' near sunol intersection. I expressed my concern over that low of an altitude by pointing out the min sector altitude on the ILS approach plate as well as the minimum altitudes btw sunol and imply. Captain responded that he had the terrain in sight. I called his attention to the radio altimeter which was reading 2200-2300'. Shortly thereafter we got the GPWS warning 'whoop-whoop, pull up, terrain', which continued to sound as the captain started a steep bank left turn. I executed the company procedure of maximum power and 15 degree nose up. The warning stopped. Passengers were quite frightened. One F/a was bumped rather hard but said she was not injured. The captain called ATC and asked what our terrain clearance was. ATC said if we were at minimum sector altitude we should have 2000'. Captain responded 'well you cleared us to 2000', so we can go down to 2000', right?' ATC said 'well, yes you can'. The approach and landing were uneventful. I feel that when 'cleared for the visibility' the pilot is then responsible for terrain clearance. The captain disagrees. ATC cleared us quite a way from the airport with 4000-5000' terrain between out position and oak. Perhaps if they had pointed that out, the captain would have insisted to them. I feel certain that we were never less than 2000' above the terrain.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON VISUAL APCH DESCENDED BELOW MEA ALT AND GOT GPWS.

Narrative: CLRED 'FOR THE VIS' BY BAY APCH FOR A RWY 29 APCH INTO OAKLAND IN EXCELLENT VFR CONDITIONS. CLRED TO CROSS OAK 6 DME AT 2000'. CAPT FLYING, STARTED DSNT DOWN TO 2000' NEAR SUNOL INTXN. I EXPRESSED MY CONCERN OVER THAT LOW OF AN ALT BY POINTING OUT THE MIN SECTOR ALT ON THE ILS APCH PLATE AS WELL AS THE MINIMUM ALTS BTW SUNOL AND IMPLY. CAPT RESPONDED THAT HE HAD THE TERRAIN IN SIGHT. I CALLED HIS ATTN TO THE RADIO ALTIMETER WHICH WAS READING 2200-2300'. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE GOT THE GPWS WARNING 'WHOOP-WHOOP, PULL UP, TERRAIN', WHICH CONTINUED TO SOUND AS THE CAPT STARTED A STEEP BANK L TURN. I EXECUTED THE COMPANY PROC OF MAX PWR AND 15 DEG NOSE UP. THE WARNING STOPPED. PAXS WERE QUITE FRIGHTENED. ONE F/A WAS BUMPED RATHER HARD BUT SAID SHE WAS NOT INJURED. THE CAPT CALLED ATC AND ASKED WHAT OUR TERRAIN CLRNC WAS. ATC SAID IF WE WERE AT MINIMUM SECTOR ALT WE SHOULD HAVE 2000'. CAPT RESPONDED 'WELL YOU CLRED US TO 2000', SO WE CAN GO DOWN TO 2000', RIGHT?' ATC SAID 'WELL, YES YOU CAN'. THE APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. I FEEL THAT WHEN 'CLRED FOR THE VIS' THE PLT IS THEN RESPONSIBLE FOR TERRAIN CLRNC. THE CAPT DISAGREES. ATC CLRED US QUITE A WAY FROM THE ARPT WITH 4000-5000' TERRAIN BTWN OUT POS AND OAK. PERHAPS IF THEY HAD POINTED THAT OUT, THE CAPT WOULD HAVE INSISTED TO THEM. I FEEL CERTAIN THAT WE WERE NEVER LESS THAN 2000' ABOVE THE TERRAIN.

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.