Date: 201703
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: PSP.Airport, CA
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Night
Aircraft: A320
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Final Approach
Airspace: Class D PSP
ATC / advisory: Tower PSP
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Situational Awareness
Second reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Not Flying
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Detector: Automation Aircraft Terrain Warning
When detected: In-flight
Result: General None Reported / Taken
Contributing factors: Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: We were on a visual approach to [PSP] RWY 31L; when we got a 'Terrain; Terrain; Pull Up' (just one 'Pull Up') GPWS warning. We were NE (right) of extended centerline; in a right bank to intercept centerline. The PAPI for 31L was showing one red light and three white lights. Weather was clear with unlimited visibility and we were over the city lights with the terrain to our left clearly in sight. Aircraft was fully configured for landing and on final approach speed. I was hand flying with the autothrottle off. EGPWS was displaying normally with no faults annunciated. We never got a 'Caution Terrain; Caution Terrain' warning even though had we stopped our turn we would have been headed into steep terrain. Radar altimeter was showing appropriate altitude above valley floor for our distance from runway threshold. Radar altimeter never spiked lower subsequent to or during the warning because we were never over any high terrain.I'm fully aware of the SOP regarding this warning at night. But; based on all the information above; and the fact that I've flown this exact flight path dozens of times without a GPWS warning (this is my first one ever); I decided that a GPWS escape maneuver was not the safest course of action and continued to a normal landing.An escape maneuver would have to include a turn due to the very rapidly rising terrain; in this area; that we could never clear absent a turn. We were already in that turn and fully situationally aware throughout the approach.


Second narrative: While flying the RNAV Visual Approach to runway 31L at Palm Springs; we received a momentary GPWS terrain warning while turning final just outside of the final approach fix. Although it was night VMC conditions; the caution immediately ceased as we finished aligning with final. Based on the fact that the terrain warning was momentary and ceased as the aircraft finished the turn onto final; continuing the approach to land was a prudent and safe course of action. The aircraft was not below any published altitudes; the visibility was excellent and the terrain in view from the city lights. The approach descent brief was adequate and terrain concerns for Palm Springs; including the ridge to the north before the approach as well as the high MSAs and engine failure procedures for go around. A minor contributing factor was that we were held up at altitude for military traffic midway through the descent. This increased our airspeed to get down to an acceptable energy state before stating the approach. This might have placed us closer than desired by approach ATC to the traffic we followed as we were cleared the visual approach. The SOCAL controller initially asked us to 'square the turn to final' but later took that direction back when we called the preceding traffic in sight. I noted that this might place us closer to rising terrain left of the published RNAV visual approach procedure.


Synopsis: A320 flight crew reported continuing the night visual approach to PSP after receiving a GPWS terrain caution because they felt they were sufficiently clear of terrain to ignore the warning.