Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors; Airport; Procedure
While flying into Burbank at night PF (Pilot Flying) / PIC (Pilot-in-Command) elected to do visual to [Runway] 15. Clearance was granted around JANNY [and] PF took a course that meant we would intercept the final approach course from the left of centerline. PM (Pilot Monitoring) noted that we were left of centerline and that there was terrain in the area. We crossed over the ridge line at the standard 5;500 ft. but thereafter while still left of centerline the PF started a descent. PM had terrain display up on MFD and was watching; there was never a yellow or red terrain ahead of the aircraft at anytime. Yet PM noticed that the radio altimeter was showing a reading while still left of centerline. The radio altimeter reading went below 1;000 ft. and got to around 800 ft. The PM called out the altitudes as soon as they were decreasing below 1;000 ft. and the PF took evasive action by disconnecting the auto pilot and stopping the descent. Almost immediately after the radio altimeter reading went away and we continued a normal descent to landing on [Runway] 15. Taking a visual to [Runway] 15 at night is unnecessarily risky. With margins very tight on the left side of the approach course; situational awareness is reduced at night. The benefits certainly do not outweigh the risks. We never received a GPWS yet we came within below 1;000 ft. of terrain on around an 8 mile final. It is easy to become complacent with your surroundings when you can not see them; so don't bother putting yourself in this situation... The company needs to put into writing that visuals to [Runway] 15 should not be allowed at night. As PM I should have called an immediate go-around the second I saw the radio altimeter go below 1;000 ft.
High terrain in the form of a mountain ridge exists just north of BUR. The BUR airport is located at the east end of the San Fernando Valley. Additional mountains are present just to the east of BUR.Discontinue night visual approaches to BUR Runway 15.
Air Carrier flight crew reported flying uncomfortably close to terrain on a night visual approach to Runway 15 at BUR; and suggested that the procedure be restricted to daytime operations.