Narrative:

We were talking to burbank approach control, vectored to the north of the airport. Approach control descended us to 5000 ft. There is very high terrain in the area, which was briefed. It was a clear night and we could faintly see the top of the mountain ridge we were to go over. The terrain warning feature of the GPWS activated so we climbed to 6300 ft to silence. Approach control advised MVA. In the area was 5000 ft. We had advised we were climbing due to the terrain warning. Approach control then asked us to maintain 6000 ft. The first officer was the PF at the time. Though I could see the mountain, I did look close, possibly less than 1000 ft separation. The first officer followed SOP to climb when receiving the terrain warning. I informed ATC of our altitude change due to the alert. We deviated from 5000 ft to 6300 ft to ensure the terrain clearance. Supplemental information from acn #569372: about 20 mi northwest of bur the controllers descended us to 5000 ft, which was the MVA. It was dark, and after being at this altitude for 5-6 mins, we got a GPWS warning and performed the required maneuver, leveling at 6300 ft. We told the controller what we were doing, and he said the MVA was 5000 ft and that 'aircraft get those warnings on occasion,' and he didn't know why. We then completed the remainder of the flight uneventfully.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A-319 CREW EXECUTED A GPWS EMER ESCAPE MANEUVER WITH CLB UNTIL THE GPWS TERRAIN WARNING STOPPED. ACFT WAS AT THE MVA AT THE TIME OF OCCURRENCE IN SCT CLASS E.

Narrative: WE WERE TALKING TO BURBANK APCH CTL, VECTORED TO THE N OF THE ARPT. APCH CTL DSNDED US TO 5000 FT. THERE IS VERY HIGH TERRAIN IN THE AREA, WHICH WAS BRIEFED. IT WAS A CLR NIGHT AND WE COULD FAINTLY SEE THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN RIDGE WE WERE TO GO OVER. THE TERRAIN WARNING FEATURE OF THE GPWS ACTIVATED SO WE CLBED TO 6300 FT TO SILENCE. APCH CTL ADVISED MVA. IN THE AREA WAS 5000 FT. WE HAD ADVISED WE WERE CLBING DUE TO THE TERRAIN WARNING. APCH CTL THEN ASKED US TO MAINTAIN 6000 FT. THE FO WAS THE PF AT THE TIME. THOUGH I COULD SEE THE MOUNTAIN, I DID LOOK CLOSE, POSSIBLY LESS THAN 1000 FT SEPARATION. THE FO FOLLOWED SOP TO CLB WHEN RECEIVING THE TERRAIN WARNING. I INFORMED ATC OF OUR ALT CHANGE DUE TO THE ALERT. WE DEVIATED FROM 5000 FT TO 6300 FT TO ENSURE THE TERRAIN CLRNC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN #569372: ABOUT 20 MI NW OF BUR THE CTLRS DSNDED US TO 5000 FT, WHICH WAS THE MVA. IT WAS DARK, AND AFTER BEING AT THIS ALT FOR 5-6 MINS, WE GOT A GPWS WARNING AND PERFORMED THE REQUIRED MANEUVER, LEVELING AT 6300 FT. WE TOLD THE CTLR WHAT WE WERE DOING, AND HE SAID THE MVA WAS 5000 FT AND THAT 'ACFT GET THOSE WARNINGS ON OCCASION,' AND HE DIDN'T KNOW WHY. WE THEN COMPLETED THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT UNEVENTFULLY.

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.