Narrative:

While on an assigned heading of 120 degrees (by ZAB) we were cleared to descend and maintain FL240 and informed that traffic at 12 O'clock would pass 1000 ft beneath us. In the descent below FL280, we received a TCASII TA and traffic appeared on the TCASII display at about 11:30 O'clock position and 1700 ft below our aircraft. The target disappeared from the TCASII display and shortly thereafter we received continuous warnings of 'terrain, terrain' and 'pull up' in solid IMC. We immediately executed the required terrain avoidance maneuver and the warning ceased upon reaching approximately FL270. We then notified ATC of the alert in IMC. We then broke out into VMC and resumed our descent upon absolute assurance that no terrain conflict existed. Clearance was then given to proceed direct to arlin intersection and to cross arlin at or below 13000 ft to maintain 11000 ft. Any continued descent of more than 300-500 FPM resulted in continuous ground proximity warnings of 'terrain,' 'pull up,' and 'sink rate.' the only way we could stop the warnings was to pull 'ground proximity' circuit breaker. The first flight attendant notified the flight crew of possible flight attendant injuries. Once on phx approach control, we declared an emergency (medical), reported flight attendant injuries and we were given priority landing clearance to runway 26R. We proceeded to gate where paramedics treated the cabin crew injuries. There were no passenger injuries.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANT INJURIES SUSTAINED WHEN A B757-200 FLC EXERCISES THE GPWS TERRAIN ESCAPE MANEUVER WHILE DSNDING OUT OF FL250 NEAR ARLIN INTXN, AZ.

Narrative: WHILE ON AN ASSIGNED HDG OF 120 DEGS (BY ZAB) WE WERE CLRED TO DSND AND MAINTAIN FL240 AND INFORMED THAT TFC AT 12 O'CLOCK WOULD PASS 1000 FT BENEATH US. IN THE DSCNT BELOW FL280, WE RECEIVED A TCASII TA AND TFC APPEARED ON THE TCASII DISPLAY AT ABOUT 11:30 O'CLOCK POS AND 1700 FT BELOW OUR ACFT. THE TARGET DISAPPEARED FROM THE TCASII DISPLAY AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE RECEIVED CONTINUOUS WARNINGS OF 'TERRAIN, TERRAIN' AND 'PULL UP' IN SOLID IMC. WE IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED THE REQUIRED TERRAIN AVOIDANCE MANEUVER AND THE WARNING CEASED UPON REACHING APPROX FL270. WE THEN NOTIFIED ATC OF THE ALERT IN IMC. WE THEN BROKE OUT INTO VMC AND RESUMED OUR DSCNT UPON ABSOLUTE ASSURANCE THAT NO TERRAIN CONFLICT EXISTED. CLRNC WAS THEN GIVEN TO PROCEED DIRECT TO ARLIN INTXN AND TO CROSS ARLIN AT OR BELOW 13000 FT TO MAINTAIN 11000 FT. ANY CONTINUED DSCNT OF MORE THAN 300-500 FPM RESULTED IN CONTINUOUS GND PROX WARNINGS OF 'TERRAIN,' 'PULL UP,' AND 'SINK RATE.' THE ONLY WAY WE COULD STOP THE WARNINGS WAS TO PULL 'GND PROX' CIRCUIT BREAKER. THE FIRST FLT ATTENDANT NOTIFIED THE FLC OF POSSIBLE FLT ATTENDANT INJURIES. ONCE ON PHX APCH CTL, WE DECLARED AN EMER (MEDICAL), RPTED FLT ATTENDANT INJURIES AND WE WERE GIVEN PRIORITY LNDG CLRNC TO RWY 26R. WE PROCEEDED TO GATE WHERE PARAMEDICS TREATED THE CABIN CREW INJURIES. THERE WERE NO PAX INJURIES.

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.