Air carrier X false GPWS warning.

Attributes
ACN	325742
Time
Date	199601
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sjc
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 13849 flight time type : 3209
ASRS Report	325742
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

The copilot was flying the aircraft. Our route was seattle to san jose. The WX in the bay area was scattered to broken clouds, with winds from the south. We would land on runway 12 at san jose. We were cleared for the briny 1 arrival. Shortly after commencing the arrival, we were cleared direct to woodside VOR. We were also given a descent. From woodside VOR we were cleared to fly the 130 degree radial and were cleared to 4500 ft MSL. I don't recall the distance from woodside when we were given a heading that pointed us basically at san jose airport. We were asked to report the airport in sight for a visual approach. There were clouds below us and between us and the airport. While in clean level flight, the GPWS activated with 'terrain, terrain.' the copilot commenced an immediate climb. Shortly thereafter 'whoop, whoop, pull up' sounded. We leveled off at 5500 ft and reported the incident. The controller informed us 'the minimum vectoring altitude in that area is 4500 ft.' about this time, we reported the airport in sight and were cleared for a visual approach. No further contact with bay approach took place. We couldn't see the ground below us when GPWS activated, and I don't know the exact elevation of the terrain below.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X FALSE GPWS WARNING.

Narrative: THE COPLT WAS FLYING THE ACFT. OUR RTE WAS SEATTLE TO SAN JOSE. THE WX IN THE BAY AREA WAS SCATTERED TO BROKEN CLOUDS, WITH WINDS FROM THE S. WE WOULD LAND ON RWY 12 AT SAN JOSE. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE BRINY 1 ARR. SHORTLY AFTER COMMENCING THE ARR, WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO WOODSIDE VOR. WE WERE ALSO GIVEN A DSCNT. FROM WOODSIDE VOR WE WERE CLRED TO FLY THE 130 DEG RADIAL AND WERE CLRED TO 4500 FT MSL. I DON'T RECALL THE DISTANCE FROM WOODSIDE WHEN WE WERE GIVEN A HEADING THAT POINTED US BASICALLY AT SAN JOSE ARPT. WE WERE ASKED TO RPT THE ARPT IN SIGHT FOR A VISUAL APCH. THERE WERE CLOUDS BELOW US AND BTWN US AND THE ARPT. WHILE IN CLEAN LEVEL FLT, THE GPWS ACTIVATED WITH 'TERRAIN, TERRAIN.' THE COPLT COMMENCED AN IMMEDIATE CLB. SHORTLY THEREAFTER 'WHOOP, WHOOP, PULL UP' SOUNDED. WE LEVELED OFF AT 5500 FT AND RPTED THE INCIDENT. THE CTLR INFORMED US 'THE MINIMUM VECTORING ALT IN THAT AREA IS 4500 FT.' ABOUT THIS TIME, WE RPTED THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH. NO FURTHER CONTACT WITH BAY APCH TOOK PLACE. WE COULDN'T SEE THE GND BELOW US WHEN GPWS ACTIVATED, AND I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT ELEVATION OF THE TERRAIN BELOW.

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.