Narrative:

While en route from gtf to eko, per request of captain, I called ATC (ZLC) to change our route from reo to bqu direct eko to reo direct lwl, V465 to elrod for lda approach to eko, which was approved per request followed by descent instructions. Approximately 15 mi northwest of lwl VOR we were given the following instructions: cross lwl at or above 11000 ft clear for lda approach to elko. Shortly after crossing the wells lwl VOR while performing the descent/approach checklist and in the clouds (established on V465) and maintaining our 11000 ft MSL given altitude, we received 'terrain, terrain' followed up by 'pull up' command from our GPWS system which captain (PF) did so and we climbed to 13000 ft altitude and notified elko tower of our action. Shortly after we broke out of clouds and established visual contact with elko airport yet we continued per lda approach to an uneventful landing. An inspection of low altitude charts revealed MEA altitude of 13000 ft for V465 between bqu and lwl vors as I suspected, but I assumed the 11000 ft altitude must have been MVA (it usually is lower than MEA). The bottom line: if in doubt, question it! It should have been, eventually it would have been, as soon as I had finished with the checklist!

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B737 WAS CLRED TO CROSS LWL AT OR ABOVE 11000 FT AND CLRED FOR THE LDA DME RWY 23 APCH TO EKO. JUST SW OF LWL ON V465 THE ACFT RECEIVED A GPWS COMMAND TO PULL UP AND DID SO. RPTR SAYS HE KNOWS THE AIRWAY MEA IS 13000 FT, BUT SUSPECTS ARTCC HAS LOWER MVA. ACFT BROKE OUT VFR OVER EKO AND LANDED OK.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE FROM GTF TO EKO, PER REQUEST OF CAPT, I CALLED ATC (ZLC) TO CHANGE OUR RTE FROM REO TO BQU DIRECT EKO TO REO DIRECT LWL, V465 TO ELROD FOR LDA APCH TO EKO, WHICH WAS APPROVED PER REQUEST FOLLOWED BY DSCNT INSTRUCTIONS. APPROX 15 MI NW OF LWL VOR WE WERE GIVEN THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS: CROSS LWL AT OR ABOVE 11000 FT CLR FOR LDA APCH TO ELKO. SHORTLY AFTER XING THE WELLS LWL VOR WHILE PERFORMING THE DSCNT/APCH CHKLIST AND IN THE CLOUDS (ESTABLISHED ON V465) AND MAINTAINING OUR 11000 FT MSL GIVEN ALT, WE RECEIVED 'TERRAIN, TERRAIN' FOLLOWED UP BY 'PULL UP' COMMAND FROM OUR GPWS SYS WHICH CAPT (PF) DID SO AND WE CLBED TO 13000 FT ALT AND NOTIFIED ELKO TWR OF OUR ACTION. SHORTLY AFTER WE BROKE OUT OF CLOUDS AND ESTABLISHED VISUAL CONTACT WITH ELKO ARPT YET WE CONTINUED PER LDA APCH TO AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. AN INSPECTION OF LOW ALT CHARTS REVEALED MEA ALT OF 13000 FT FOR V465 BTWN BQU AND LWL VORS AS I SUSPECTED, BUT I ASSUMED THE 11000 FT ALT MUST HAVE BEEN MVA (IT USUALLY IS LOWER THAN MEA). THE BOTTOM LINE: IF IN DOUBT, QUESTION IT! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN, EVENTUALLY IT WOULD HAVE BEEN, AS SOON AS I HAD FINISHED WITH THE CHKLIST!

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.