GPWS alert during descent into area with mountainous terrain.

Attributes
ACN	300416
Time
Date	199503
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : san
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4200 msl bound upper : 4200
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : san tower : mia
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	300416
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On radar vectors to intercept 27 localizer, several mi east of swatt intersection, descending to 3800 ft cleared altitude, had GPWS 'terrain terrain' warning in clouds. Pulled up and advised ATC. ATC said 'there is a small mountain in that area and terrain warning happens all the time.' vectored for another approach. Landed normally. Suspect terrain closure rate caused alert.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GPWS ALERT DURING DSCNT INTO AREA WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Narrative: ON RADAR VECTORS TO INTERCEPT 27 LOC, SEVERAL MI E OF SWATT INTXN, DSNDING TO 3800 FT CLRED ALT, HAD GPWS 'TERRAIN TERRAIN' WARNING IN CLOUDS. PULLED UP AND ADVISED ATC. ATC SAID 'THERE IS A SMALL MOUNTAIN IN THAT AREA AND TERRAIN WARNING HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.' VECTORED FOR ANOTHER APCH. LANDED NORMALLY. SUSPECT TERRAIN CLOSURE RATE CAUSED ALERT.

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.