Narrative:

I filed an IFR flight plan from cid to D97 via V-503 at v- 82-161. Before doing so I checked the L-11 chart for all necessary information. After filing the flight plan I listed information regarding headings, altitudes and frequencys, etc, on a small piece of paper so I would not have to fumble unnecessarily with charts while flying. I departed cid at about XX30 pm. Clearance delivery at cid issued a clearance to 5000 ft, then stated that 5000 ft was the wrong altitude, and I could have either 4000 ft or 6000 ft. I apologized for what I assumed was my error, thinking at the time that I might have misspoken while filing with FSS, although I do not remember having done so (I thought I'd filed for 6000 ft). After glancing at my notes and concluding that 3600 ft was the MEA, I told clearance delivery that 4000 ft would be all right. I knew this was above the cloud layer and I then thought it was above the MEA. (In fact, as I later discovered, 3600 ft is the MOCA and 4500 ft is the MEA). I was cleared to 4000 ft and was handed off to cid departure, then alo approach, then ZMP. The trip was uneventful and I observed no problems with NAVAID reception. I did not realize that I had apparently misread my notes when accepting 4000 ft until a couple days later when I looked at the chart to recalculate total mileage. I then saw that 3600 ft was the MOCA, not the MEA, a fact I had evidently forgotten, after first filing the flight plan, by the time I got the amended clearance at cid. Although I had no difficulty in either of the 2 VOR signals, probably because I was only 500 ft below the MEA, under different circumstances a problem could have been possible. This could have been avoided by: 1) making clrer, more legible notes, or else referring directly to the chart if a clearance changes, and 2) not assuming that the fact ATC assigns an altitude means that altitude will always be appropriate. It would also be helpful to have some clarification of whether the far requiring you to fly at the altitude assigned by ATC controls over the rule requiring flight at or above the MEA. I would like to know whether, in controled airspace, you can accept a clearance below the MEA. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter was informed that controllers in a radar environment use MVA frequently. Reporter was also informed the charts should be referred to and not notes written down during flight planning.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ASSIGNED ALT BELOW MEA.

Narrative: I FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM CID TO D97 VIA V-503 AT V- 82-161. BEFORE DOING SO I CHKED THE L-11 CHART FOR ALL NECESSARY INFO. AFTER FILING THE FLT PLAN I LISTED INFO REGARDING HDGS, ALTS AND FREQS, ETC, ON A SMALL PIECE OF PAPER SO I WOULD NOT HAVE TO FUMBLE UNNECESSARILY WITH CHARTS WHILE FLYING. I DEPARTED CID AT ABOUT XX30 PM. CLRNC DELIVERY AT CID ISSUED A CLRNC TO 5000 FT, THEN STATED THAT 5000 FT WAS THE WRONG ALT, AND I COULD HAVE EITHER 4000 FT OR 6000 FT. I APOLOGIZED FOR WHAT I ASSUMED WAS MY ERROR, THINKING AT THE TIME THAT I MIGHT HAVE MISSPOKEN WHILE FILING WITH FSS, ALTHOUGH I DO NOT REMEMBER HAVING DONE SO (I THOUGHT I'D FILED FOR 6000 FT). AFTER GLANCING AT MY NOTES AND CONCLUDING THAT 3600 FT WAS THE MEA, I TOLD CLRNC DELIVERY THAT 4000 FT WOULD BE ALL RIGHT. I KNEW THIS WAS ABOVE THE CLOUD LAYER AND I THEN THOUGHT IT WAS ABOVE THE MEA. (IN FACT, AS I LATER DISCOVERED, 3600 FT IS THE MOCA AND 4500 FT IS THE MEA). I WAS CLRED TO 4000 FT AND WAS HANDED OFF TO CID DEP, THEN ALO APCH, THEN ZMP. THE TRIP WAS UNEVENTFUL AND I OBSERVED NO PROBS WITH NAVAID RECEPTION. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT I HAD APPARENTLY MISREAD MY NOTES WHEN ACCEPTING 4000 FT UNTIL A COUPLE DAYS LATER WHEN I LOOKED AT THE CHART TO RECALCULATE TOTAL MILEAGE. I THEN SAW THAT 3600 FT WAS THE MOCA, NOT THE MEA, A FACT I HAD EVIDENTLY FORGOTTEN, AFTER FIRST FILING THE FLT PLAN, BY THE TIME I GOT THE AMENDED CLRNC AT CID. ALTHOUGH I HAD NO DIFFICULTY IN EITHER OF THE 2 VOR SIGNALS, PROBABLY BECAUSE I WAS ONLY 500 FT BELOW THE MEA, UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES A PROB COULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY: 1) MAKING CLRER, MORE LEGIBLE NOTES, OR ELSE REFERRING DIRECTLY TO THE CHART IF A CLRNC CHANGES, AND 2) NOT ASSUMING THAT THE FACT ATC ASSIGNS AN ALT MEANS THAT ALT WILL ALWAYS BE APPROPRIATE. IT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL TO HAVE SOME CLARIFICATION OF WHETHER THE FAR REQUIRING YOU TO FLY AT THE ALT ASSIGNED BY ATC CTLS OVER THE RULE REQUIRING FLT AT OR ABOVE THE MEA. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHETHER, IN CTLED AIRSPACE, YOU CAN ACCEPT A CLRNC BELOW THE MEA. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR WAS INFORMED THAT CTLRS IN A RADAR ENVIRONMENT USE MVA FREQUENTLY. RPTR WAS ALSO INFORMED THE CHARTS SHOULD BE REFERRED TO AND NOT NOTES WRITTEN DOWN DURING FLT PLANNING.

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.