Narrative:

Descending from 4000 ft MSL to 3800 ft MSL at 200 FPM on a heading of 240 degrees to intercept localizer runway 27 into san. We experienced a GPWS terrain warning. We climbed 500 ft and the warning subsided. We made an uneventful approach after that. The approach controller said that happens all the time with A320's on that approach. Assuming this is true, air carrier X pilots are unaware of this false warning. We got a terrain warning at 3800 ft over the san miguel mountain. ATC says that is common occurrence. If it is, why does ATC vector aircraft over the top of that mountain? Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter revealed that he is the local council safety chairman for the airline. The statement that this event happens primarily on the a- 320 aircraft was incorrect. The GPWS occurs for every other type aircraft as well. The reporter and a simulator instructor duplicated the event on the approach into san diego in the simulator. He stated that there is an 1800 ft parameter from the ground that creates this alert in any aircraft. Alpa wrote the facility chief (miramar TRACON manager) about this incident. In essence, they were told, in a responding letter, that the procedures for vectoring to the localizer 27 would not be changed. There were issues of increased descent rates (if the MVA altitude over the mountain was changed) and approach path alterations that were of concern to the facility manager. He stated that any desired or requested changes were considered to be 'impractical.'

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TERRAIN PROB HILL MOUNTAIN. GPWS ALARM.

Narrative: DSNDING FROM 4000 FT MSL TO 3800 FT MSL AT 200 FPM ON A HDG OF 240 DEGS TO INTERCEPT LOC RWY 27 INTO SAN. WE EXPERIENCED A GPWS TERRAIN WARNING. WE CLBED 500 FT AND THE WARNING SUBSIDED. WE MADE AN UNEVENTFUL APCH AFTER THAT. THE APCH CTLR SAID THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME WITH A320'S ON THAT APCH. ASSUMING THIS IS TRUE, ACR X PLTS ARE UNAWARE OF THIS FALSE WARNING. WE GOT A TERRAIN WARNING AT 3800 FT OVER THE SAN MIGUEL MOUNTAIN. ATC SAYS THAT IS COMMON OCCURRENCE. IF IT IS, WHY DOES ATC VECTOR ACFT OVER THE TOP OF THAT MOUNTAIN? CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR REVEALED THAT HE IS THE LCL COUNCIL SAFETY CHAIRMAN FOR THE AIRLINE. THE STATEMENT THAT THIS EVENT HAPPENS PRIMARILY ON THE A- 320 ACFT WAS INCORRECT. THE GPWS OCCURS FOR EVERY OTHER TYPE ACFT AS WELL. THE RPTR AND A SIMULATOR INSTRUCTOR DUPLICATED THE EVENT ON THE APCH INTO SAN DIEGO IN THE SIMULATOR. HE STATED THAT THERE IS AN 1800 FT PARAMETER FROM THE GND THAT CREATES THIS ALERT IN ANY ACFT. ALPA WROTE THE FACILITY CHIEF (MIRAMAR TRACON MGR) ABOUT THIS INCIDENT. IN ESSENCE, THEY WERE TOLD, IN A RESPONDING LETTER, THAT THE PROCS FOR VECTORING TO THE LOC 27 WOULD NOT BE CHANGED. THERE WERE ISSUES OF INCREASED DSCNT RATES (IF THE MVA ALTITUDE OVER THE MOUNTAIN WAS CHANGED) AND APCH PATH ALTERATIONS THAT WERE OF CONCERN TO THE FACILITY MGR. HE STATED THAT ANY DESIRED OR REQUESTED CHANGES WERE CONSIDERED TO BE 'IMPRACTICAL.'

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.