Medium Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
We were directed after DINGO to proceed to CALLS for the visual to 11L. Shortly after; I told approach field was in sight; and we were cleared for the visual approach. I was sequencing the approach as the FO preselected altitude of 5500 which should have been adequate for terrain clearance. He was descending at 800 fpm and I was about to suggest that he reduce the descent rate when we got the GPWS warning at approximately 5800 ft. His training kicked in and he immediately disconnected the autopilot and leveled the aircraft. The warning lasted only a couple of seconds and cleared.I have flown to TUS many times and this has never happened. I believe the high descent rate was the underlying cause of this alert. In the future I will make sure the flying pilot is a little more conservative on the descent rate until passage of the terrain to the northwest of the airport.
Air carrier Captain experiences a terrain warning during a night visual approach to Runway 11L at TUS. The First Officer was flying and descending at 800 FPM just northwest of LIPTE and descending through 5;800 feet when the warning was annunciated.