B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150; Flight Crew Total 14000; Flight Crew Type 4500
Situational Awareness
Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Procedure; Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Airport
About 15 miles out we were cleared for a visual approach into LAS. We came from the northeast sector. I initiated a slow descent in a modified base leg. A few seconds later we inadvertently incurred into the terrain clearance floor triggering the EGPWS; the RA read 2;500 FT and we heard 'too low; terrain' once. I stopped the descent and climbed slightly. There is a 3;993 MSL hill [in that area]. I was on weather display and the First Officer on terrain. We passed the peak and continued the descent for an uneventful landing on 19L.I'd like to suggest that we keep the EGPWS check for departure and landing on the checklist.
I was the pilot not flying arriving LAS on a moonless night via the Tyson Arrival; Peach Springs transition. Around TYSSN Approach Control began vectoring us for Runway 19L. The vectors took us north and east of the field. We were stepped down to 6;000 FT and on a vector that had us on a left dogleg to final approximately 15 to 17 miles from the airport. The Controller pointed out some traffic to us. I reported the traffic in sight; and the Controller cleared us for a visual approach to Runway 19L. I was in the terrain mode on the EGPWS system. All terrain between us and the field was displayed in green. Looking back at this event I see how our revised training; which includes completely removing the EGPWS verbiage from the Approach and Descent Checklist; could possibly be setting us up for a bad situation in regard to terrain awareness. I'm concerned that this sort of culture could be hazardous.
A B757 flight crew descending at dusk for a visual approach to Runway 19L at LAS responded to an EGPWS terrain warning.