A319
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 146.88; Flight Crew Total 15959.47; Flight Crew Type 12630.13
Situational Awareness; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory
Procedure; Human Factors
Flying on the ZONNA1 arrival descending to 10;000 ft passing the JOKIM fix; we started to get controller vectors for the airport. Unfortunately; the Control's [procedure]; or surveyor terrain in this area could be looked at some. On the chart; if you stay on the route you're ok; but the vector we got put us closer to the little peaks that were higher on the mountain. A 270 [heading] was bad enough to get this close; then the controller gave us a 265 heading the put us closer to another high little peak on the mountain. The copilot and I remarked how close to the ground coming up we were with no yellow or red terrain dots showing up on our screen. We looked for the radar altimeter to show 2500 feet; [but] that never happened. We questioned the altitude assignment of 10;000 feet; ATC said the minimum radar vector altitude was 9100 feet; we should be good; [and] then we got the GPWS terrain [warning]. I disconnected the autopilot and did a soft escape maneuver climb to 10;300 feet; told ATC we had to climb because of the GPWS warning but he did not know what we were talking about. He said [no] problem; descend to 7000 feet; we were clear of the mountain by then; [it was] very visible [since it was] a clear day with cloud cover above us. Continued vector to Runway 11L for landing.
A319 Captain reported receiving a GPWS terrain warning when vectored off the charted course approaching TUS.