MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airport; Human Factors
This report is being submitted due to 'Caution; Terrain' alerts received while flying a visual app to Runway 26 at ABQ in night/VFR/VMC conditions. No regulations or policies were violated; but information discovered after event and a request from ATC prompted this disclosure to help prevent future occurrences; get the problem area lighted; and increase awareness for other pilots. During flight to ABQ; ATIS reported winds from the west and Vis approach to Runway 26. There is only one 'charted' RNAV approach for Runway 26 visual; and our aircraft was not RNAV capable; so First Officer (FO) and I briefed and discussed the high terrain and how we would fly approach. I had flown daytime visuals to Runway 26 over the years and maybe five night visuals prior to this one; briefing focused on coming over the mountain range to the southeast of the airport; then turning a north base leg to fly to a point about three miles from Runway 26 centerline while trying to adhere to all stabilized app criteria; with step-down altitudes involved. We talked about being far enough west of high terrain; but far enough east of airport to allow a comfortable; stabilized turn to final.Visibility was unlimited/clear; ATC cleared us for visual app approx. 10 miles southeast of airport. We continued west as briefed; turned toward northerly heading and began descent. Approx. 4-5 miles southeast of the airport at about 7;500 MSL; we got a 'Caution; Terrain' warning. I decreased descent rate and turned approx. 30 degrees toward the north-west. I saw yellow area on GPWS to right of course and thought the warning had been generated by the descent coming from the down-sloping terrain on west side of mountain range. Airport was clearly in sight so I continued northwest heading toward final centerline. Just a few seconds later FO stated he saw the RA spike from 1;600 feet to 900-1;000 feet. We continued approach as airport had always been in sight and there was clearly nothing in our path; and made a normal landing. After shutdown and checklists; FO and I talked about approach and I said I'd call ATC in the morning to get a better picture of our ground track for some answers.Called tower next morning; but person who could help wasn't in yet. Called again later and talked with ATC Supervisor who specializes in the area of terrain and approach problems. He gave a brief description of ground-track flown and said he would get better info and email it. Approx. 5 days after event and more phone/emails with ABQ ATC; I had a clear picture of exactly what triggered the terrain warnings and decided to file this report to inform others and help ATC in their attempts to get obstruction lights in this area.On phone ATC told me this is a recurring problem in ABQ; some airlines don't authorize night visual 26 due to this situation. On the west side of the main mountain range about 4-5 miles southeast of the airport there is a small area containing a group of four lower peaks; highest peak is the northeast at 6;926 feet; and the other three get lower in elevation as they go southwest. Airport page 10-7 notes this; but could be more descriptive. Our warning had been triggered by the high peak; and my turn toward the northwest in response flew us over the second peak causing the RA spike my FO had called out. This area is not lighted and not easily noticeable on local charts. After talking with ATC and searching through ABQ charts and pages; I finally found these peaks better defined in 10-7 pages.Use Runway 3 and 8 as primary and Runway 26 only if winds mandate. If using Runway 26 I will request vectors to right downwind to have better reference from city lights. Suggest working with ATC/FAA getting obstruction lights in this area. Also needs to be defined better on our charts.
An MD80 series Captain believes that night visual approaches to Runway 26 at ABQ should be prohibited until lights can be placed on the high terrain to the east. A terrain warning is experienced during the approach in question and the remedy is to arrest descent and turn more toward the runway.