Narrative:

On arrival into san, the ATIS reported arrs were flying the ILS to runway 9. During vectors for approach, after passing baret, the controller reported the winds out of limits for runway 9, and ceiling/visibility too low for the localizer approach to runway 27. He continued to vector us while rechking the visibility. At the same time we were given a descent to 7000 ft. Eventually, our vector was for a turn to 090 degrees, towards the mountains northeast of san. Once northeast of the airport we were given a turn to 330 degrees, and shortly another left turn to 210 degrees. During the turn to 210 degrees, we received a GPWS warning and initiated an immediate climb. The captain watched the radio altimeter and reported a minimum closure with the terrain of 1100 ft. Passing 8000 ft MSL, we contacted the approach controller who cleared us to level off at 9000 ft. He explained that his minimum vectoring altitude in that sector is 7000 ft. Apparently, the terrain, in rising to 1000 ft in that sector, rises too rapidly for the GPWS. To prevent additional GPWS warnings with possible traffic conflicts, the minimum vectoring altitude should be raised. There was a lot of other traffic being vectored around the same area, and we were fortunate not to have a conflict during our climb.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X GPWS ALERT NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC. EVASIVE ACTION CLB.

Narrative: ON ARR INTO SAN, THE ATIS RPTED ARRS WERE FLYING THE ILS TO RWY 9. DURING VECTORS FOR APCH, AFTER PASSING BARET, THE CTLR RPTED THE WINDS OUT OF LIMITS FOR RWY 9, AND CEILING/VISIBILITY TOO LOW FOR THE LOC APCH TO RWY 27. HE CONTINUED TO VECTOR US WHILE RECHKING THE VISIBILITY. AT THE SAME TIME WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT TO 7000 FT. EVENTUALLY, OUR VECTOR WAS FOR A TURN TO 090 DEGS, TOWARDS THE MOUNTAINS NE OF SAN. ONCE NE OF THE ARPT WE WERE GIVEN A TURN TO 330 DEGS, AND SHORTLY ANOTHER L TURN TO 210 DEGS. DURING THE TURN TO 210 DEGS, WE RECEIVED A GPWS WARNING AND INITIATED AN IMMEDIATE CLB. THE CAPT WATCHED THE RADIO ALTIMETER AND RPTED A MINIMUM CLOSURE WITH THE TERRAIN OF 1100 FT. PASSING 8000 FT MSL, WE CONTACTED THE APCH CTLR WHO CLRED US TO LEVEL OFF AT 9000 FT. HE EXPLAINED THAT HIS MINIMUM VECTORING ALT IN THAT SECTOR IS 7000 FT. APPARENTLY, THE TERRAIN, IN RISING TO 1000 FT IN THAT SECTOR, RISES TOO RAPIDLY FOR THE GPWS. TO PREVENT ADDITIONAL GPWS WARNINGS WITH POSSIBLE TFC CONFLICTS, THE MINIMUM VECTORING ALT SHOULD BE RAISED. THERE WAS A LOT OF OTHER TFC BEING VECTORED AROUND THE SAME AREA, AND WE WERE FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE A CONFLICT DURING OUR CLB.

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.