Date: 201411
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: LAS.Airport, NV
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Night
Aircraft: A321
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Initial Approach
Airspace: Class B LAS
ATC / advisory: TRACON L30
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Situational Awareness; Fatigue
Anomaly: Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Detector: Automation Aircraft Terrain Warning; Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Contributing factors: Airport; Human Factors
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: We were about 30 miles from LAS flying the TYSSN Three RNAV arrival. We were cleared directive to the PRINO intersection and given a descent to 8000 ft. The weather was clear with unlimited visibility. The controller told us that the airport was at our 11 o'clock position and asked if we had it in sight. We said we did have it in sight and he cleared us for a visual approach to runway 25 left. With the autopilot on and open decent selected; we proceeded direct to the SHAND intersection about 10 miles out on the final approach course. We selected 4900 feet and continued in open decent. We could visually see the high terrain off to our 1 o'clock position. We elected to cut the corner and proceed directly to the RELIN intersection which was the outer marker. We selected an altitude of 3800 ft to descend to.  Passing through 4200 ft we got the 'caution terrain alert' we leveled off and confirmed visually that the high terrain was off to our 2 o'clock position and we still had the airport visually. Shortly after we got the 'too low terrain; pull up alert'. We still had the terrain and airport insight. I clicked off the autopilot and manually started a climb to 4900 ft.  By this time we were too high on the approach and not configured properly so we asked for a left 360 turn to lose altitude. The controller cleared us for the turn but told us to keep it tight. About this time I was tired; task saturated and hand flying with the auto thrust on. The speed wasn't coming back and the automation wasn't doing what I expected it to do so I turned off the auto thrust and reduced power. I knew the controller cleared us for the 360 degree turn but in the back of my mind I was concerned about terrain clearance. I felt I was losing situational awareness and transferred control of the aircraft to the first officer. It took a minute or so for me to get back in the 'green' as the first officer completed the approach and continued to the landing.  The whole 'easy' visual approach turn into the proverbial 'goat rope'.The event occurred mainly from fatigue; the 'startle factor' of the terrain warning putting us in the 'yellow'; and accepting a visual approach at night with high terrain. This was the first day of a two day trip with a first leg consisting of a five hour flight and a landing during normal body time (midnight). The second leg never should have been scheduled for an east coast crew. It was a short; high workload flight completely flown when our circadian rhythm was at its lowest point. I didn't realize how tired I was and how much fatigue had affected my performance until I taxied to the gate and shut down the engines.




Synopsis: A321 Captain reports experiencing a terrain warning during a night visual approach to Runway 25L at LAS. Evasive action is taken then a left 360 is requested to lose altitude. During this maneuver the flying Captain switches of the automation off; becomes task saturated; and passes control of the aircraft to the First Officer.