Narrative:

Shortly after crossing locke intersection at 11000 ft, we were assigned a heading of about 260 degrees to intercept the runway 29 localizer. We were given progressive dscnts to 6000 ft, 4000 ft and finally, 3000 ft. A few mi north of sunol intersection (about 5 mi) we were given a left turn to 220 degrees to intercept the runway 29 localizer and were cleared to descend from 4000 ft to 3000 ft. At about 3200-3300 ft during our descent to 3000 ft, the GPWS was activated. We received the '700 ft low terrain warning.' the first officer immediately performed the GPWS escape maneuver. I followed through on the controls. We broke out of the clouds at about 4000 ft. After receiving 2 full cycles of the '700 ft low terrain' warning we were not able to level off until we were at 4900 ft. Upon arrival at oak, I called bay approach and spoke to the supervisor on duty. He claims that we were in an area where the MVA is 3200 ft and that they have had numerous GPWS alerts in this area in the past. He did not say why we were cleared to 3000 ft if the MVA was 3200 ft. Also, he claimed that most of the GPWS alerts were caused by an excessive rate of descent to the cleared altitude. This was definitely not the case on our arrival. We were level at 4000 ft then given the descent to 3000 ft and were in the process of slowing. Our rate of descent was about 1000 FPM. Flaps were 15 degrees. Also, I definitely remember setting all 3 altimeters to the local altimeter setting during the in-range checklist at FL180. I believe that there were serious controller errors in the descent clrncs issued to our flight. Also, I think that the MVA needs to be raised over the mountains to the east of oakland. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter indicated the GPWS equipment was operating normally and that there was no indication of a malfunction. Reporter alleges, based on information from his company, that the localizer intercept altitude for runway 29 will be changed to 4000 ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR STATED THEY RECEIVED A GPWS ALERT WHILE DSNDING FROM 4000 FT TO 3000 FT AND PERFORMED THE ESCAPE MANEUVER.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER XING LOCKE INTXN AT 11000 FT, WE WERE ASSIGNED A HDG OF ABOUT 260 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE RWY 29 LOC. WE WERE GIVEN PROGRESSIVE DSCNTS TO 6000 FT, 4000 FT AND FINALLY, 3000 FT. A FEW MI N OF SUNOL INTXN (ABOUT 5 MI) WE WERE GIVEN A L TURN TO 220 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE RWY 29 LOC AND WERE CLRED TO DSND FROM 4000 FT TO 3000 FT. AT ABOUT 3200-3300 FT DURING OUR DSCNT TO 3000 FT, THE GPWS WAS ACTIVATED. WE RECEIVED THE '700 FT LOW TERRAIN WARNING.' THE FO IMMEDIATELY PERFORMED THE GPWS ESCAPE MANEUVER. I FOLLOWED THROUGH ON THE CTLS. WE BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT ABOUT 4000 FT. AFTER RECEIVING 2 FULL CYCLES OF THE '700 FT LOW TERRAIN' WARNING WE WERE NOT ABLE TO LEVEL OFF UNTIL WE WERE AT 4900 FT. UPON ARR AT OAK, I CALLED BAY APCH AND SPOKE TO THE SUPVR ON DUTY. HE CLAIMS THAT WE WERE IN AN AREA WHERE THE MVA IS 3200 FT AND THAT THEY HAVE HAD NUMEROUS GPWS ALERTS IN THIS AREA IN THE PAST. HE DID NOT SAY WHY WE WERE CLRED TO 3000 FT IF THE MVA WAS 3200 FT. ALSO, HE CLAIMED THAT MOST OF THE GPWS ALERTS WERE CAUSED BY AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF DSCNT TO THE CLRED ALT. THIS WAS DEFINITELY NOT THE CASE ON OUR ARR. WE WERE LEVEL AT 4000 FT THEN GIVEN THE DSCNT TO 3000 FT AND WERE IN THE PROCESS OF SLOWING. OUR RATE OF DSCNT WAS ABOUT 1000 FPM. FLAPS WERE 15 DEGS. ALSO, I DEFINITELY REMEMBER SETTING ALL 3 ALTIMETERS TO THE LCL ALTIMETER SETTING DURING THE IN-RANGE CHKLIST AT FL180. I BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE SERIOUS CTLR ERRORS IN THE DSCNT CLRNCS ISSUED TO OUR FLT. ALSO, I THINK THAT THE MVA NEEDS TO BE RAISED OVER THE MOUNTAINS TO THE E OF OAKLAND. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATED THE GPWS EQUIP WAS OPERATING NORMALLY AND THAT THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A MALFUNCTION. RPTR ALLEGES, BASED ON INFO FROM HIS COMPANY, THAT THE LOC INTERCEPT ALT FOR RWY 29 WILL BE CHANGED TO 4000 FT.

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.