Narrative:

I was descending into abq on miera 2 STAR and told to expect to cross miera at 15000 ft. Before I reached miera I was given a vector a southwesterly vector because of traffic (caravan) ahead of me. I was then given an assign altitude of 10000 ft. Later I was given a northerly heading of 030 degrees which ATC said would put me on a base leg to runway 26. While looking for the runway I lost situational awareness. I had never been into abq at night and it been a long time coming into abq at all. I started a gradual descent to 8000 ft trying to stay far enough from the runway so not to have an unstable approach when I found the runway but close enough to stay away from the rising terrain east of the field. While looking left for the field with the rising terrain on my right I received the terrain warning. I immediately pulled the nose up added power and flew toward the field. I didn't pick out the runway until I was over the field. I was vectored around to runway 30 which concluded successfully. I spoke to a lead pilot about this situation and it appears that the majority of the pilots that fly in and out of abq just know where to look for the runway at night. I think the best thing I could have done was stay at 10000 ft until I had the runway or airport in sight; the approach might have been a little uncomfortable but that might negate the GPWS. I also should include that I had been on vacation and that was my first leg after vacation; maybe I should have given that leg to my first officer and just monitored the flight. There are no navaids for runway 26 to help out especially if you're being vectored.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW REPORTS GPWS WARNING AT 8000 FEET SOUTHEAST OF ABQ DURING NIGHT VISUAL APPROACH TO RWY 26.

Narrative: I WAS DSNDING INTO ABQ ON MIERA 2 STAR AND TOLD TO EXPECT TO CROSS MIERA AT 15000 FT. BEFORE I REACHED MIERA I WAS GIVEN A VECTOR A SOUTHWESTERLY VECTOR BECAUSE OF TFC (CARAVAN) AHEAD OF ME. I WAS THEN GIVEN AN ASSIGN ALT OF 10000 FT. LATER I WAS GIVEN A NORTHERLY HDG OF 030 DEGS WHICH ATC SAID WOULD PUT ME ON A BASE LEG TO RWY 26. WHILE LOOKING FOR THE RWY I LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. I HAD NEVER BEEN INTO ABQ AT NIGHT AND IT BEEN A LONG TIME COMING INTO ABQ AT ALL. I STARTED A GRADUAL DSCNT TO 8000 FT TRYING TO STAY FAR ENOUGH FROM THE RWY SO NOT TO HAVE AN UNSTABLE APCH WHEN I FOUND THE RWY BUT CLOSE ENOUGH TO STAY AWAY FROM THE RISING TERRAIN E OF THE FIELD. WHILE LOOKING L FOR THE FIELD WITH THE RISING TERRAIN ON MY R I RECEIVED THE TERRAIN WARNING. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE NOSE UP ADDED PWR AND FLEW TOWARD THE FIELD. I DIDN'T PICK OUT THE RWY UNTIL I WAS OVER THE FIELD. I WAS VECTORED AROUND TO RWY 30 WHICH CONCLUDED SUCCESSFULLY. I SPOKE TO A LEAD PLT ABOUT THIS SITUATION AND IT APPEARS THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE PLTS THAT FLY IN AND OUT OF ABQ JUST KNOW WHERE TO LOOK FOR THE RWY AT NIGHT. I THINK THE BEST THING I COULD HAVE DONE WAS STAY AT 10000 FT UNTIL I HAD THE RWY OR ARPT IN SIGHT; THE APCH MIGHT HAVE BEEN A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE BUT THAT MIGHT NEGATE THE GPWS. I ALSO SHOULD INCLUDE THAT I HAD BEEN ON VACATION AND THAT WAS MY FIRST LEG AFTER VACATION; MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE GIVEN THAT LEG TO MY FO AND JUST MONITORED THE FLT. THERE ARE NO NAVAIDS FOR RWY 26 TO HELP OUT ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE BEING VECTORED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.