MSAW RECEIVED BY CPR FLC FROM ALERT ARTCC RADAR CTLR DURING IAP VOR DME APCH.

Narrative

WE WERE DSNDING INTO BKE. TOLD TO CROSS BKE VOR AT 13000 CLRED FOR THE APCH. THE CAPT ELECTED TO TEARDROP THE OUTBOUND LEG OF THE APCH RATHER THAN THE PROC TURN. THE CAPT BEGAN HIS TEARDROP PROC AFTER PASSING THE VOR. THE CHART SAYS THAT ALL COURSE REVERSALS SHALL BE DONE AFTER/REF THE BKE 4.0 DME. WE BEGAN THE PROC AND AS WE WERE ABOUT TO TURN INBOUND SALT LAKE ARTCC ADVISED US WE WERE TOO LOW FOR OUR LOCATION ON THE APCH. I BELIEVE THAT SALT LAKE GOT A TERRAIN WARNING. THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR ALT. WE HAD DSNDED FROM 13000 FT TO 6900 FT TOO EARLY AND WERE NOT WITHIN THE PROTECTED AIRSPACE I BELIEVE. AFTER THEIR FIRST CALL WE THEN BROKE OUT; SAW THE ARPT AND CANCELLED OUR RADAR COVERAGE. I FEEL THAT THE MISTAKE WAS DUE TO MY CAPT'S AND MY OWN BELIEFS THAT WE WERE GOING TO BREAK IN TO VFR CONDITIONS SOONER. CAPT DID NOT BRIEF THE APCH; SO WE KIND OF WINGED IT AS WE WERE DOING IT. A VERY POOR COMMAND DECISION. IT GOES TO SHOW THAT IT PAYS TO FOLLOW COMPANY PROCS WHEN THE WX DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR A VFR ARR.