Narrative:

Going into abq; the winds were such that only a visual approach to runway 26 was available. We briefed that there was terrain in the area and that I; the PF; would configure early. They cleared us for the visual to runway 26; so we descended down to 8000 ft. In the FMC we pulled up the runway and put 8000 ft at the FA26 point. We were fully configured prior to this point. At this point we checked the ATIS; and the winds were reported as 230 degrees/5 KTS. Because of the slight tailwind; we asked for the ILS to runway 3; but approach denied our request. They said that we could have a visual to runway 21; rather than runway 26. We accepted the change in runway; and approach said turn left 10 degrees and this would be vectors for runway 21. At this time we descended down to 7000 ft. We were in visual conditions; the sun was setting and we had a full moon. We briefed that we could possibly get a terrain warning because the close proximity to the terrain and the new heading that we were on for a visual to runway 21. At this time we were fully configured with gear and flaps for landing and level at 7000 ft. At this time we received the caution terrain. I reacted; autoplt off; and climbed the aircraft back up to 8000 ft. Since we were on a visual; we just told abq approach that we were climbing back up to 8000 ft for the terrain in the area. The caution went immediately away and we continued on our heading for the visual to runway 21. Abq approach was not very helpful! They could have easily let us have the ILS to runway 3; because the winds ended up being favorable for that runway. Because we accepted the visual it took the responsibility off of them to vector us around and put the responsibility on us as the sun was going down and terrain in the area. We really need some kind of visual approach that crews can reference for altitudes and DME's for runway 26.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 FLT CREW ON A VISUAL APCH TO ABQ EXPERIENCED A GPWS TERRAIN ALERT. THEY CLIMBED TO SILENCE THE ALARM AND CONTINUED THE APCH.

Narrative: GOING INTO ABQ; THE WINDS WERE SUCH THAT ONLY A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 26 WAS AVAILABLE. WE BRIEFED THAT THERE WAS TERRAIN IN THE AREA AND THAT I; THE PF; WOULD CONFIGURE EARLY. THEY CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 26; SO WE DSNDED DOWN TO 8000 FT. IN THE FMC WE PULLED UP THE RWY AND PUT 8000 FT AT THE FA26 POINT. WE WERE FULLY CONFIGURED PRIOR TO THIS POINT. AT THIS POINT WE CHKED THE ATIS; AND THE WINDS WERE RPTED AS 230 DEGS/5 KTS. BECAUSE OF THE SLIGHT TAILWIND; WE ASKED FOR THE ILS TO RWY 3; BUT APCH DENIED OUR REQUEST. THEY SAID THAT WE COULD HAVE A VISUAL TO RWY 21; RATHER THAN RWY 26. WE ACCEPTED THE CHANGE IN RWY; AND APCH SAID TURN L 10 DEGS AND THIS WOULD BE VECTORS FOR RWY 21. AT THIS TIME WE DSNDED DOWN TO 7000 FT. WE WERE IN VISUAL CONDITIONS; THE SUN WAS SETTING AND WE HAD A FULL MOON. WE BRIEFED THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY GET A TERRAIN WARNING BECAUSE THE CLOSE PROX TO THE TERRAIN AND THE NEW HDG THAT WE WERE ON FOR A VISUAL TO RWY 21. AT THIS TIME WE WERE FULLY CONFIGURED WITH GEAR AND FLAPS FOR LNDG AND LEVEL AT 7000 FT. AT THIS TIME WE RECEIVED THE CAUTION TERRAIN. I REACTED; AUTOPLT OFF; AND CLBED THE ACFT BACK UP TO 8000 FT. SINCE WE WERE ON A VISUAL; WE JUST TOLD ABQ APCH THAT WE WERE CLBING BACK UP TO 8000 FT FOR THE TERRAIN IN THE AREA. THE CAUTION WENT IMMEDIATELY AWAY AND WE CONTINUED ON OUR HDG FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 21. ABQ APCH WAS NOT VERY HELPFUL! THEY COULD HAVE EASILY LET US HAVE THE ILS TO RWY 3; BECAUSE THE WINDS ENDED UP BEING FAVORABLE FOR THAT RWY. BECAUSE WE ACCEPTED THE VISUAL IT TOOK THE RESPONSIBILITY OFF OF THEM TO VECTOR US AROUND AND PUT THE RESPONSIBILITY ON US AS THE SUN WAS GOING DOWN AND TERRAIN IN THE AREA. WE REALLY NEED SOME KIND OF VISUAL APCH THAT CREWS CAN REF FOR ALTS AND DME'S FOR RWY 26.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.