Problem with MEA on one 35 mi segment of airway.

Attributes
ACN	275454
Time
Date	199406
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : seg
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : v106
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 3000
ASRS Report	275454
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Filed IFR on V-106 between wilkes-barre, PA, and johnstown, oh, at 8000 ft (see L-24). WX was VMC. Did not notice route segment between seg and rashe was 14000 ft. All other route segments in that area are 4000 ft. So my perception was that 14000 ft was 4000 ft. Not until I was established on the route segment did I notice the MEA was 14000 ft and requested a climb to 14000 ft. Additionally, ATC made no mention of the fact I was at 8000 ft and acknowledged that altitude at check-in. Aircraft performance did not allow us to reach 14000 ft rashe. Since WX was VMC and there are no terrain considerations about 3000 ft, the 14000 ft MEA seems unusual. Recommend a min obstruction clearance altitude (MOCA) be established for this route segment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PROB WITH MEA ON ONE 35 MI SEGMENT OF AIRWAY.

Narrative: FILED IFR ON V-106 BTWN WILKES-BARRE, PA, AND JOHNSTOWN, OH, AT 8000 FT (SEE L-24). WX WAS VMC. DID NOT NOTICE RTE SEGMENT BTWN SEG AND RASHE WAS 14000 FT. ALL OTHER RTE SEGMENTS IN THAT AREA ARE 4000 FT. SO MY PERCEPTION WAS THAT 14000 FT WAS 4000 FT. NOT UNTIL I WAS ESTABLISHED ON THE RTE SEGMENT DID I NOTICE THE MEA WAS 14000 FT AND REQUESTED A CLB TO 14000 FT. ADDITIONALLY, ATC MADE NO MENTION OF THE FACT I WAS AT 8000 FT AND ACKNOWLEDGED THAT ALT AT CHK-IN. ACFT PERFORMANCE DID NOT ALLOW US TO REACH 14000 FT RASHE. SINCE WX WAS VMC AND THERE ARE NO TERRAIN CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT 3000 FT, THE 14000 FT MEA SEEMS UNUSUAL. RECOMMEND A MIN OBSTRUCTION CLRNC ALT (MOCA) BE ESTABLISHED FOR THIS RTE SEGMENT.

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.