Report of receiving a GPWS and executing an escape maneuver while descending to 3000 ft.

Attributes
ACN	385382
Time
Date	199711
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3300 msl bound upper : 3300
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	385382
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
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	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Descending into oakland on radar vectors from sunol intersection, approach control told us to descend from 6000 ft to 4000 ft and gave us a turn to heading 260 degrees. A few mins later, we were told to descend to 3000 ft and heading 235 degrees, and slow to 210 KTS. Descent was initiated first and at approximately 3300 ft started to slow down. Rate of descent was no more than 500 ft. GPWS activated with 'terrain, pull up.' escape maneuver was initiated. We broke out of the clouds at approximately 4500 ft and leveled off at 5000 ft MSL. We informed ATC of our actions and continued our approach to oak runway 29. No further problems. Later we contacted the approach controller (by phone) and he told us his MVA for our sector was 3200 ft. (We were cleared to 3000 ft.) is this altitude for that sector too low? Or did the controller make a mistake? Fortunately, no further problems evolved.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPT OF RECEIVING A GPWS AND EXECUTING AN ESCAPE MANEUVER WHILE DSNDING TO 3000 FT.

Narrative: DSNDING INTO OAKLAND ON RADAR VECTORS FROM SUNOL INTXN, APCH CTL TOLD US TO DSND FROM 6000 FT TO 4000 FT AND GAVE US A TURN TO HDG 260 DEGS. A FEW MINS LATER, WE WERE TOLD TO DSND TO 3000 FT AND HDG 235 DEGS, AND SLOW TO 210 KTS. DSCNT WAS INITIATED FIRST AND AT APPROX 3300 FT STARTED TO SLOW DOWN. RATE OF DSCNT WAS NO MORE THAN 500 FT. GPWS ACTIVATED WITH 'TERRAIN, PULL UP.' ESCAPE MANEUVER WAS INITIATED. WE BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT APPROX 4500 FT AND LEVELED OFF AT 5000 FT MSL. WE INFORMED ATC OF OUR ACTIONS AND CONTINUED OUR APCH TO OAK RWY 29. NO FURTHER PROBS. LATER WE CONTACTED THE APCH CTLR (BY PHONE) AND HE TOLD US HIS MVA FOR OUR SECTOR WAS 3200 FT. (WE WERE CLRED TO 3000 FT.) IS THIS ALT FOR THAT SECTOR TOO LOW? OR DID THE CTLR MAKE A MISTAKE? FORTUNATELY, NO FURTHER PROBS EVOLVED.

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.