Narrative:

Crew was arriving after long international flight, fatigue was an issue. Aircraft received 3 different runway/approach assignments while being vectored in terminal area prior to clearance for approach. Aircraft was landing configured and at approach speed prior to FAF. At xattu, PF began descent to 1100 ft MSL using SOP of 1200 FPM vertical speed. At 1500 ft, ATC advised aircraft was below minimum sector altitude, followed immediately by GPWS 'terrain' warning. PF executed missed approach, and aircraft was vectored for ILS runway 19L, landing uneventfully. Re-review of NOTAMS for sfo revealed possible GPWS warning for descent rates over 800 FPM on this approach. NOTAM was overlooked due to many consecutive runway and approach reassignments while in the terminal area. Phone call to sfo tower supervisor also revealed that of all the aircraft assigned runway 10L approach that evening, quote 'over 50% of them' generated ATC low altitude alerts. This approach is obviously very poorly designed if 50% of aircraft using it generate these alerts while on a published portion of the approach and above minimum charted altitude. Also, if approach cannot be flown using normal SOP's, it should be prohibited for that aircraft type.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B777 LNDG RWY 10 AT SFO RECEIVED BOTH ATC LOW ALT ALERT AND GPWS.

Narrative: CREW WAS ARRIVING AFTER LONG INTL FLT, FATIGUE WAS AN ISSUE. ACFT RECEIVED 3 DIFFERENT RWY/APCH ASSIGNMENTS WHILE BEING VECTORED IN TERMINAL AREA PRIOR TO CLRNC FOR APCH. ACFT WAS LNDG CONFIGURED AND AT APCH SPD PRIOR TO FAF. AT XATTU, PF BEGAN DSCNT TO 1100 FT MSL USING SOP OF 1200 FPM VERT SPD. AT 1500 FT, ATC ADVISED ACFT WAS BELOW MINIMUM SECTOR ALT, FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY GPWS 'TERRAIN' WARNING. PF EXECUTED MISSED APCH, AND ACFT WAS VECTORED FOR ILS RWY 19L, LNDG UNEVENTFULLY. RE-REVIEW OF NOTAMS FOR SFO REVEALED POSSIBLE GPWS WARNING FOR DSCNT RATES OVER 800 FPM ON THIS APCH. NOTAM WAS OVERLOOKED DUE TO MANY CONSECUTIVE RWY AND APCH REASSIGNMENTS WHILE IN THE TERMINAL AREA. PHONE CALL TO SFO TWR SUPVR ALSO REVEALED THAT OF ALL THE ACFT ASSIGNED RWY 10L APCH THAT EVENING, QUOTE 'OVER 50% OF THEM' GENERATED ATC LOW ALT ALERTS. THIS APCH IS OBVIOUSLY VERY POORLY DESIGNED IF 50% OF ACFT USING IT GENERATE THESE ALERTS WHILE ON A PUBLISHED PORTION OF THE APCH AND ABOVE MINIMUM CHARTED ALT. ALSO, IF APCH CANNOT BE FLOWN USING NORMAL SOP'S, IT SHOULD BE PROHIBITED FOR THAT ACFT TYPE.

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.