Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 424
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Procedure; Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related
We were on a visual approach to Runway 6 at BHM from the southeast in VMC conditions but looking directly into the sun. ATC leveled us 3;000 ft. and asked us if we had the field. At this point we were pointed directly at the FAF from the south on a right base. We advised that we had the field and were cleared for the visual approach and sent to Tower; who subsequently cleared us to land. We configured to flaps 5 and started a slow descent to the FAF altitude of 2;200 ft. still pointing directly at the FAF. Once we started our descent at about 2;700 ft. we got a 'Caution-Obstacle' GPWS Alert. At the time of the alert I was looking at the field for landing and looked at the flight display which showed an obstacle; at this point I looked straight ahead and saw that we were descending toward a tower. I adjusted my flightpath both vertically and laterally (first started a right turn and leveled off). We then noticed a second tower and decided to go-around. We coordinated with Tower to overfly final and come around for a left base to after climbing back to 3;100 ft. We configured normally and landed uneventfully.After the flight I called and spoke with both Tower and Approach to voice my concern that we were heading directly at 2;000 ft. AGL towers with less than 1;000 ft. clearance and cleared the visual without any caution about the towers; even though we were vectored right at them. Had the sun not been blinding us we may have seen the towers sooner. Additionally; while I did brief the visual approach based on the FOM briefing requirements; I did not brief the 'highest obstacle;' which is required on an IMC; but not visual approach. While I did brief the SIP; I missed the note in the SIP which refers to this tower; which is actually a series of several large towers on a hill. Additionally; the fact that we were vectored right into the towers without being advised of them is; I believe; a shared responsibility while under IFR control. Perhaps a note in the SIP for the specific runway may highlight that this is a problem. Had we been in marginal VFR; not had GPWS or been at night with a tower light out; we may have gotten closer to the obstacle.
B737 flight crew reported executing a go-around from a visual approach to BHM after receiving an obstacle alert from the GPWS.