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Air carrier large transport, in a night operation, was saved from impacting on designated mountainous terrain by the GPWS while on a visual approach to 28R mill visual approach to pdx, or.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 216837 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199204 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : pdx |
| State Reference | OR |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4100 msl bound upper : 4100 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pdx |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent : approach descent other |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1800 |
| ASRS Report | 216837 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : ground critical non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : exited adverse environment |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | vertical : 400 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
| Situations | |
| Airport | other physical facility |
Narrative:
Flight sea to pdx on helns 2 arrival to pdx. After kalma, pdx approach vectored us approximately heading 140 for spacing for inbound aircraft from the south, and for downwind/base for the mill visual approach. We were a little further than usual abeam the airport, probably for anticipated spacing. It was a crystal clear night and we were level at 6000 ft MSL. Approximately crossing V448 we reported airport and mill in sight and were cleared for the mill visual runway 28R approach. The area below us was like a 'black hole' because of forest and it being unpopulated. The city lights/airport were off our right wing -- a beautiful night. After being cleared for the visual, I began descent so as to arrive over the mill at the recommended 3000 ft MSL. At approximately crossing of V112 at 4100 ft MSL the GPWS went 'whoop! Whoop! Pull up! Terrain!' for a split second we thought it was a false warning since we were still looking at the airport/city. Then I noticed both radio altimeters go from 2500 ft to 400 ft in about 1-2 seconds. I immediately applied full power and initiated a maximum climb until over the city's outskirts (lights). Then I continued the descent/visual approach and landed. Our whole crew serves pdx daily and knows the airport well. Simple fact is that most pilots going into a familiar airport use the approach plate and do not often refer to the area chart. Approach control was working other aircraft and did not call us about being too low. He turned us over to tower around the mill. Although we screwed up and learned our lesson, it may be prudent to publish warnings for night visuals on the 19-1 approach plate (mill visual) and at least put the MSA 'pie' back on the top of that chart. We were stupid, and very lucky.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR LGT, IN A NIGHT OP, WAS SAVED FROM IMPACTING ON DESIGNATED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN BY THE GPWS WHILE ON A VISUAL APCH TO 28R MILL VISUAL APCH TO PDX, OR.
Narrative: FLT SEA TO PDX ON HELNS 2 ARR TO PDX. AFTER KALMA, PDX APCH VECTORED US APPROX HDG 140 FOR SPACING FOR INBOUND ACFT FROM THE S, AND FOR DOWNWIND/BASE FOR THE MILL VISUAL APCH. WE WERE A LITTLE FURTHER THAN USUAL ABEAM THE ARPT, PROBABLY FOR ANTICIPATED SPACING. IT WAS A CRYSTAL CLR NIGHT AND WE WERE LEVEL AT 6000 FT MSL. APPROX XING V448 WE RPTED ARPT AND MILL IN SIGHT AND WERE CLRED FOR THE MILL VISUAL RWY 28R APCH. THE AREA BELOW US WAS LIKE A 'BLACK HOLE' BECAUSE OF FOREST AND IT BEING UNPOPULATED. THE CITY LIGHTS/ARPT WERE OFF OUR R WING -- A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT. AFTER BEING CLRED FOR THE VISUAL, I BEGAN DSCNT SO AS TO ARRIVE OVER THE MILL AT THE RECOMMENDED 3000 FT MSL. AT APPROX XING OF V112 AT 4100 FT MSL THE GPWS WENT 'WHOOP! WHOOP! PULL UP! TERRAIN!' FOR A SPLIT SECOND WE THOUGHT IT WAS A FALSE WARNING SINCE WE WERE STILL LOOKING AT THE ARPT/CITY. THEN I NOTICED BOTH RADIO ALTIMETERS GO FROM 2500 FT TO 400 FT IN ABOUT 1-2 SECONDS. I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED FULL PWR AND INITIATED A MAX CLB UNTIL OVER THE CITY'S OUTSKIRTS (LIGHTS). THEN I CONTINUED THE DSCNT/VISUAL APCH AND LANDED. OUR WHOLE CREW SERVES PDX DAILY AND KNOWS THE ARPT WELL. SIMPLE FACT IS THAT MOST PLTS GOING INTO A FAMILIAR ARPT USE THE APCH PLATE AND DO NOT OFTEN REFER TO THE AREA CHART. APCH CTL WAS WORKING OTHER ACFT AND DID NOT CALL US ABOUT BEING TOO LOW. HE TURNED US OVER TO TWR AROUND THE MILL. ALTHOUGH WE SCREWED UP AND LEARNED OUR LESSON, IT MAY BE PRUDENT TO PUBLISH WARNINGS FOR NIGHT VISUALS ON THE 19-1 APCH PLATE (MILL VISUAL) AND AT LEAST PUT THE MSA 'PIE' BACK ON THE TOP OF THAT CHART. WE WERE STUPID, AND VERY LUCKY.
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.