Narrative:

Departing ont runway 8R on the pomona 6 departure, we turned to 255 degrees to intercept the pom 114 degree radial. Our clearance was to 14000 ft, however, there was a published restriction to cross pom VOR at or below 8000 ft. We started to intercept the 114 degree radial, and we were level at 8000 ft. There was heavy rain and light to moderate chop. The GPWS light came on (red) followed by 'whoop, whoop, pull up' audio warning, then shortly thereafter, 'terrain, terrain' warning. We started a climb and informed the controller we were climbing because of a GPWS warning. The controller stated there was not traffic in the area and asked if we would be stopping the climb. The GPWS warning stopped at approximately 9600 ft. We asked if we could continue climbing and the controller issued a climb to FL230 with a restriction to cross bucck intersection at or above 14000 ft. The captain wrote up the GPWS on arrival at sjc and maintenance said the system ground checked 'normal.' when we told ont departure that we were climbing because of a GPWS warning, I believe he thought we were climbing because of a TCASII warning. We suspect this is true because he stated that there was 'no traffic in the area.' when you've read the horror stories of others for not following GPWS warnings, and you believe your position to be safe in relation to the ground, it creates a tough conflict when the GPWS issues such a warning (most likely a false one). We followed what we believed to be the safest action and climbed. Please continue to share the experiences of others. It definitely helps in making difficult and timely decisions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FALSE WARNING ON GPWS INDUCES PIC OF ACR MLG TO EXERCISE AN ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION.

Narrative: DEPARTING ONT RWY 8R ON THE POMONA 6 DEP, WE TURNED TO 255 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE POM 114 DEG RADIAL. OUR CLRNC WAS TO 14000 FT, HOWEVER, THERE WAS A PUBLISHED RESTRICTION TO CROSS POM VOR AT OR BELOW 8000 FT. WE STARTED TO INTERCEPT THE 114 DEG RADIAL, AND WE WERE LEVEL AT 8000 FT. THERE WAS HVY RAIN AND LIGHT TO MODERATE CHOP. THE GPWS LIGHT CAME ON (RED) FOLLOWED BY 'WHOOP, WHOOP, PULL UP' AUDIO WARNING, THEN SHORTLY THEREAFTER, 'TERRAIN, TERRAIN' WARNING. WE STARTED A CLB AND INFORMED THE CTLR WE WERE CLBING BECAUSE OF A GPWS WARNING. THE CTLR STATED THERE WAS NOT TFC IN THE AREA AND ASKED IF WE WOULD BE STOPPING THE CLB. THE GPWS WARNING STOPPED AT APPROX 9600 FT. WE ASKED IF WE COULD CONTINUE CLBING AND THE CTLR ISSUED A CLB TO FL230 WITH A RESTRICTION TO CROSS BUCCK INTXN AT OR ABOVE 14000 FT. THE CAPT WROTE UP THE GPWS ON ARR AT SJC AND MAINT SAID THE SYS GND CHKED 'NORMAL.' WHEN WE TOLD ONT DEP THAT WE WERE CLBING BECAUSE OF A GPWS WARNING, I BELIEVE HE THOUGHT WE WERE CLBING BECAUSE OF A TCASII WARNING. WE SUSPECT THIS IS TRUE BECAUSE HE STATED THAT THERE WAS 'NO TFC IN THE AREA.' WHEN YOU'VE READ THE HORROR STORIES OF OTHERS FOR NOT FOLLOWING GPWS WARNINGS, AND YOU BELIEVE YOUR POS TO BE SAFE IN RELATION TO THE GND, IT CREATES A TOUGH CONFLICT WHEN THE GPWS ISSUES SUCH A WARNING (MOST LIKELY A FALSE ONE). WE FOLLOWED WHAT WE BELIEVED TO BE THE SAFEST ACTION AND CLBED. PLEASE CONTINUE TO SHARE THE EXPERIENCES OF OTHERS. IT DEFINITELY HELPS IN MAKING DIFFICULT AND TIMELY DECISIONS.

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.