Narrative:

While established on localizer for ILS runway 24R at lax altitude stable at 2500 ft MSL the GPWS 'terrain' warning came on. Evasive action was taken resulting in a climb to 3400 ft MSL. ATC was immediately advised of our GPWS warning and altitude, after which a clearance back to 2500 ft and a normal approach and landing followed on runway 24R at lax. We were advised to contact socal approach on a land line. They advised me that a possible traffic conflict could have occurred with overflying traffic crossing the north to the south complex at lax. However, no TCASII conflict was indicated by us with any other aircraft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter captain verified the arrival from over smo and descent clearance to 2500 ft in anticipation of the usual turn in for the approach at approximately 10 DME. However, the WX was poor with heavy rain showers and light to moderate turbulence which may have contributed to the heavy traffic load for ATC. That resulted in an extremely extended pattern taking reporter aircraft out to 24 DME. That resulted in a GPWS from high terrain in that area which further resulted in loss of separation with an aircraft crossing above. Reporter had no choice but to react to the GPWS appropriately, especially since the WX was poor and visibility very limited. Though it didn't relate to this report the captain wanted to register his as well as many other pilots complaint about the civet one arrival with the multiple step-down altitudes vice flying the GS. Reporter was advised that was due to airspace protected below the TCA for the numerous airport's in that vicinity. Captain says that having the step-downs requires the flight crew remain focused in the cockpit and not able to adequately scan for traffic. He believes it is a safety hazard.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10-10 ACFT ESTABLISHED ON LOC AND 24 DME AT 2500 FT ALT RECEIVED GPWS 'TERRAIN' WARNING. FLC FOLLOWED SOP AND EXECUTED EVASIVE ACTION BY CLBING 900 FT. POSTFLT REVIEW WITH ATC NOTED THE LOSS OF SEPARATION WITH ACFT XING ABOVE RPTR ACFT.

Narrative: WHILE ESTABLISHED ON LOC FOR ILS RWY 24R AT LAX ALT STABLE AT 2500 FT MSL THE GPWS 'TERRAIN' WARNING CAME ON. EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN RESULTING IN A CLB TO 3400 FT MSL. ATC WAS IMMEDIATELY ADVISED OF OUR GPWS WARNING AND ALT, AFTER WHICH A CLRNC BACK TO 2500 FT AND A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG FOLLOWED ON RWY 24R AT LAX. WE WERE ADVISED TO CONTACT SOCAL APCH ON A LAND LINE. THEY ADVISED ME THAT A POSSIBLE TFC CONFLICT COULD HAVE OCCURRED WITH OVERFLYING TFC XING THE N TO THE S COMPLEX AT LAX. HOWEVER, NO TCASII CONFLICT WAS INDICATED BY US WITH ANY OTHER ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR CAPT VERIFIED THE ARR FROM OVER SMO AND DSCNT CLRNC TO 2500 FT IN ANTICIPATION OF THE USUAL TURN IN FOR THE APCH AT APPROX 10 DME. HOWEVER, THE WX WAS POOR WITH HVY RAIN SHOWERS AND LIGHT TO MODERATE TURB WHICH MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE HVY TFC LOAD FOR ATC. THAT RESULTED IN AN EXTREMELY EXTENDED PATTERN TAKING RPTR ACFT OUT TO 24 DME. THAT RESULTED IN A GPWS FROM HIGH TERRAIN IN THAT AREA WHICH FURTHER RESULTED IN LOSS OF SEPARATION WITH AN ACFT XING ABOVE. RPTR HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO REACT TO THE GPWS APPROPRIATELY, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE WX WAS POOR AND VISIBILITY VERY LIMITED. THOUGH IT DIDN'T RELATE TO THIS RPT THE CAPT WANTED TO REGISTER HIS AS WELL AS MANY OTHER PLTS COMPLAINT ABOUT THE CIVET ONE ARR WITH THE MULTIPLE STEP-DOWN ALTS VICE FLYING THE GS. RPTR WAS ADVISED THAT WAS DUE TO AIRSPACE PROTECTED BELOW THE TCA FOR THE NUMEROUS ARPT'S IN THAT VICINITY. CAPT SAYS THAT HAVING THE STEP-DOWNS REQUIRES THE FLC REMAIN FOCUSED IN THE COCKPIT AND NOT ABLE TO ADEQUATELY SCAN FOR TFC. HE BELIEVES IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD.

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.