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Flight at designated MEA in VFR conditions result in possible penetration of restricted airspace with a higher MEA ceiling. Not shown on chart.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 99128 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198811 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : gcn |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 13000 msl bound upper : 14500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : v257 |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 4440 flight time type : 45 |
| ASRS Report | 99128 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : exited penetrated airspace other other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Chart Or Publication |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
I was flying from slc to phx. I was on an IFR flight at FL190. I cancelled IFR after getting in the clear and descended to 13000'. This is the minimum en route altitude shown on the us government IFR chart. This was done in order to get a better ground speed. I retained flight following. The controller asked if I was familiar with minimum altitudes over the grand canyon. I stated in as much as I was at the MEA as shown on the IFR chart I should have no problem. He told me the minimum altitude was 14500'. I climbed to 14500' and held that altitude until descending for phx. It seems that there is a conflict here. If I can get into trouble following a government approved IFR chart, then the chart should be changed to reflect a different min altitude. The chart was L5 and L6 dated 10/xa/88-12/xb/88. Also there are probably many non turbo aircraft that would have difficulty climbing to and holding 14500'. Is this arwy closed to them? I feel the MEA on the chart should be raised to 14500' or more realistically the restr area top should be lowered to the present MEA of 13000'.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT AT DESIGNATED MEA IN VFR CONDITIONS RESULT IN POSSIBLE PENETRATION OF RESTRICTED AIRSPACE WITH A HIGHER MEA CEILING. NOT SHOWN ON CHART.
Narrative: I WAS FLYING FROM SLC TO PHX. I WAS ON AN IFR FLT AT FL190. I CANCELLED IFR AFTER GETTING IN THE CLR AND DSNDED TO 13000'. THIS IS THE MINIMUM ENRTE ALT SHOWN ON THE US GOVERNMENT IFR CHART. THIS WAS DONE IN ORDER TO GET A BETTER GND SPD. I RETAINED FLT FOLLOWING. THE CTLR ASKED IF I WAS FAMILIAR WITH MINIMUM ALTS OVER THE GRAND CANYON. I STATED IN AS MUCH AS I WAS AT THE MEA AS SHOWN ON THE IFR CHART I SHOULD HAVE NO PROB. HE TOLD ME THE MINIMUM ALT WAS 14500'. I CLBED TO 14500' AND HELD THAT ALT UNTIL DSNDING FOR PHX. IT SEEMS THAT THERE IS A CONFLICT HERE. IF I CAN GET INTO TROUBLE FOLLOWING A GOVERNMENT APPROVED IFR CHART, THEN THE CHART SHOULD BE CHANGED TO REFLECT A DIFFERENT MIN ALT. THE CHART WAS L5 AND L6 DATED 10/XA/88-12/XB/88. ALSO THERE ARE PROBABLY MANY NON TURBO ACFT THAT WOULD HAVE DIFFICULTY CLBING TO AND HOLDING 14500'. IS THIS ARWY CLOSED TO THEM? I FEEL THE MEA ON THE CHART SHOULD BE RAISED TO 14500' OR MORE REALISTICALLY THE RESTR AREA TOP SHOULD BE LOWERED TO THE PRESENT MEA OF 13000'.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.