Narrative:

Due to runway 29 being notamed OTS in oakland, we were vectored to join the localizer for runway 27R, planning to sidestep to land on runway 27L. I don't remember if we had already joined the localizer or not. I think we had, and I think we were near 3000 ft MSL, cleared for the ILS runway 27R approach when our GPWS gave us a terrain warning. We immediately added power and pitched up and advised ATC. ATC advised us there was a ridge out there and that we were above MVA and that we could just make a right 360 degrees turn if we wanted to rejoin the localizer. Hello! We told him we wanted a vector to rejoin the localizer, and we wanted to be set up for the approach more conservatively so that we would not get another GPWS alert. On the second approach near the same place, we got another terrain warning, which we responded to in the same way, and again we told ATC we wanted to be set up more conservatively to avoid another GPWS warning. The third approach worked out. If I remember right, ATC gave us 4000 ft till crossing grove intersection (about 1 DOT high on the GS). The rest of the approach and landing were uneventful. 1) if we had not been vectored for the approach and had followed the altitudes on the approach plate, maybe we would not have gotten the warning. 2) ATC needs to know that crews will not disregard a warning unless it's daylight and clear. 3) a little heads up that a GPWS warning was a possibility would have saved me a nice little adrenaline rush! 4) I don't think ATC should use altitudes or vectors where a GPWS warning is possible, it could injure flight attendants and scare pilots!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-200 CREW EXECUTED A GPWS ESCAPE MANEUVER WITH CLB UNTIL THE WARNING STOPPED. ACFT WAS ABOVE THE MVA AT THE TIME OF OCCURRENCE. THIS HAPPENED 2 TIMES ON THE LOC FOR RWY 27R AT OAK.

Narrative: DUE TO RWY 29 BEING NOTAMED OTS IN OAKLAND, WE WERE VECTORED TO JOIN THE LOC FOR RWY 27R, PLANNING TO SIDESTEP TO LAND ON RWY 27L. I DON'T REMEMBER IF WE HAD ALREADY JOINED THE LOC OR NOT. I THINK WE HAD, AND I THINK WE WERE NEAR 3000 FT MSL, CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 27R APCH WHEN OUR GPWS GAVE US A TERRAIN WARNING. WE IMMEDIATELY ADDED PWR AND PITCHED UP AND ADVISED ATC. ATC ADVISED US THERE WAS A RIDGE OUT THERE AND THAT WE WERE ABOVE MVA AND THAT WE COULD JUST MAKE A R 360 DEGS TURN IF WE WANTED TO REJOIN THE LOC. HELLO! WE TOLD HIM WE WANTED A VECTOR TO REJOIN THE LOC, AND WE WANTED TO BE SET UP FOR THE APCH MORE CONSERVATIVELY SO THAT WE WOULD NOT GET ANOTHER GPWS ALERT. ON THE SECOND APCH NEAR THE SAME PLACE, WE GOT ANOTHER TERRAIN WARNING, WHICH WE RESPONDED TO IN THE SAME WAY, AND AGAIN WE TOLD ATC WE WANTED TO BE SET UP MORE CONSERVATIVELY TO AVOID ANOTHER GPWS WARNING. THE THIRD APCH WORKED OUT. IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, ATC GAVE US 4000 FT TILL XING GROVE INTXN (ABOUT 1 DOT HIGH ON THE GS). THE REST OF THE APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. 1) IF WE HAD NOT BEEN VECTORED FOR THE APCH AND HAD FOLLOWED THE ALTS ON THE APCH PLATE, MAYBE WE WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN THE WARNING. 2) ATC NEEDS TO KNOW THAT CREWS WILL NOT DISREGARD A WARNING UNLESS IT'S DAYLIGHT AND CLR. 3) A LITTLE HEADS UP THAT A GPWS WARNING WAS A POSSIBILITY WOULD HAVE SAVED ME A NICE LITTLE ADRENALINE RUSH! 4) I DON'T THINK ATC SHOULD USE ALTS OR VECTORS WHERE A GPWS WARNING IS POSSIBLE, IT COULD INJURE FLT ATTENDANTS AND SCARE PLTS!

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.