Narrative:

Location: intercepting localizer runway 27 approach, north of localizer while on a heading to intercept the localizer for runway 27 at san. GPWS, 'terrain, terrain' sounded. I was hand-flying and immediately added power and started to climb. Warning ceased at approximately 4400 ft. We were approximately 2 DME outside of swatt intersection (12.6 DME on localizer DME). We were still in a good position based on DME and altitude to continue the approach therefore we continued uneventfully. I called socal approach later on the phone and found out the warning was not too uncommon. The MVA is 3800 ft and the hill we passed over was 2791 ft. Upon looking back at the situation I realized the first officer told the controller to standby when he cleared us for the approach during the middle of the warning sounding. We should have told the controller at the time that we were responding to a GPWS. We were the only aircraft he was working as he had told us this a few mins prior. Therefore I do not believe traffic was a factor. I would in the future make sure that ATC knew what we were doing much sooner. Also after talking to socal approach it sounded like raising the MVA to 4000 ft would take care of this in the future. I personally will not accept 3800 ft until on the localizer next time. The controller stated that the approach profile is steep enough without an additional 200 ft added to it. I think the approach is even steeper with a GPWS escape maneuver added to it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80S ACFT ON INTERCEPT HEADING FOR LOC APCH RECEIVED GPWS AND FLC RESPONDED. ACFT WAS AT MINIMUM VECTORING ALT (3800 FT) AND TERRAIN WAS AT 2791 FT. FLC CONTINUED APCH UNEVENTFULLY.

Narrative: LOCATION: INTERCEPTING LOC RWY 27 APCH, N OF LOC WHILE ON A HEADING TO INTERCEPT THE LOC FOR RWY 27 AT SAN. GPWS, 'TERRAIN, TERRAIN' SOUNDED. I WAS HAND-FLYING AND IMMEDIATELY ADDED PWR AND STARTED TO CLB. WARNING CEASED AT APPROX 4400 FT. WE WERE APPROX 2 DME OUTSIDE OF SWATT INTXN (12.6 DME ON LOC DME). WE WERE STILL IN A GOOD POS BASED ON DME AND ALT TO CONTINUE THE APCH THEREFORE WE CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY. I CALLED SOCAL APCH LATER ON THE PHONE AND FOUND OUT THE WARNING WAS NOT TOO UNCOMMON. THE MVA IS 3800 FT AND THE HILL WE PASSED OVER WAS 2791 FT. UPON LOOKING BACK AT THE SIT I REALIZED THE FO TOLD THE CTLR TO STANDBY WHEN HE CLRED US FOR THE APCH DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE WARNING SOUNDING. WE SHOULD HAVE TOLD THE CTLR AT THE TIME THAT WE WERE RESPONDING TO A GPWS. WE WERE THE ONLY ACFT HE WAS WORKING AS HE HAD TOLD US THIS A FEW MINS PRIOR. THEREFORE I DO NOT BELIEVE TFC WAS A FACTOR. I WOULD IN THE FUTURE MAKE SURE THAT ATC KNEW WHAT WE WERE DOING MUCH SOONER. ALSO AFTER TALKING TO SOCAL APCH IT SOUNDED LIKE RAISING THE MVA TO 4000 FT WOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS IN THE FUTURE. I PERSONALLY WILL NOT ACCEPT 3800 FT UNTIL ON THE LOC NEXT TIME. THE CTLR STATED THAT THE APCH PROFILE IS STEEP ENOUGH WITHOUT AN ADDITIONAL 200 FT ADDED TO IT. I THINK THE APCH IS EVEN STEEPER WITH A GPWS ESCAPE MANEUVER ADDED TO IT.

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.