GPWS when on normal cruise altitude vector. Approach control says GPWS warnings common in that area.

Attributes
ACN	327828
Time
Date	199602
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : psp
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : psp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 174 flight time total : 15483 flight time type : 3331
ASRS Report	327828
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Received GPWS 'terrain' warning while level at 7000 ft over hills east of airport. Executed GPWS recovery and informed ATC. Approach said GPWS warnings were common in that area. Perhaps ATC should stop aircraft at 8000 ft before further descent, even though approachs to this airport are 'slam dunks.' terrain east of the airport rises 'above 6000 ft.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GPWS WHEN ON NORMAL CRUISE ALT VECTOR. APCH CTL SAYS GPWS WARNINGS COMMON IN THAT AREA.

Narrative: RECEIVED GPWS 'TERRAIN' WARNING WHILE LEVEL AT 7000 FT OVER HILLS E OF ARPT. EXECUTED GPWS RECOVERY AND INFORMED ATC. APCH SAID GPWS WARNINGS WERE COMMON IN THAT AREA. PERHAPS ATC SHOULD STOP ACFT AT 8000 FT BEFORE FURTHER DSCNT, EVEN THOUGH APCHS TO THIS ARPT ARE 'SLAM DUNKS.' TERRAIN E OF THE ARPT RISES 'ABOVE 6000 FT.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.