Aircraft deviated from assigned altitude while under positive radar control upon encountering higher MEA along assigned airway. Believes controller should know MEA's are higher and 'assume' aircraft will climb to MEA altitude. Did not inform ATC of altitude change.

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Attributes
ACN	110978
Time
Date	198905
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eey
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc tracon : ckb tracon : bdl
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : zdc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 15 flight time total : 4650
ASRS Report	110978
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Filed gai-eey-V174-ekn-V4-crw, with washington FSS. Cleared direct crw (hvq VOR) by ZDC (dulles iad departure heading 270 degrees), with center clearing me via ekn VOR, then V4 crw, maintain 6000'. After passing shawnee VOR (eey) area, the MEA changed to 6800', to which small aircraft X climbed (far 91.119), squawking mode C. When handed over to clarksburg, wv, approach, I was advised of opp traffic at 7000', IFR. Controller should have presumed far 91.119. Pilots, to comply with far 91.119, should maintain the last assigned altitude or the MEA, whichever is higher (see note in aim paragraph 270D, and en route section of aim). Pilots pay particular attention to MEA's or MOCA (within 25 mi of station) as guidance to comply with far 91.11. However, controllers utilize unpublished MVA, not known to pilots, for some altitude assignments. Solution: controllers should notify pilots when an altitude assignment is being made below the MEA (to include the area to which the MVA applies, specifically between fixes), or the controller should presume the pilot will climb to comply with 91.119.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT DEVIATED FROM ASSIGNED ALT WHILE UNDER POSITIVE RADAR CTL UPON ENCOUNTERING HIGHER MEA ALONG ASSIGNED AIRWAY. BELIEVES CTLR SHOULD KNOW MEA'S ARE HIGHER AND 'ASSUME' ACFT WILL CLIMB TO MEA ALT. DID NOT INFORM ATC OF ALT CHANGE.

Narrative: FILED GAI-EEY-V174-EKN-V4-CRW, WITH WASHINGTON FSS. CLRED DIRECT CRW (HVQ VOR) BY ZDC (DULLES IAD DEP HDG 270 DEGS), WITH CENTER CLRING ME VIA EKN VOR, THEN V4 CRW, MAINTAIN 6000'. AFTER PASSING SHAWNEE VOR (EEY) AREA, THE MEA CHANGED TO 6800', TO WHICH SMA X CLBED (FAR 91.119), SQUAWKING MODE C. WHEN HANDED OVER TO CLARKSBURG, WV, APCH, I WAS ADVISED OF OPP TFC AT 7000', IFR. CTLR SHOULD HAVE PRESUMED FAR 91.119. PLTS, TO COMPLY WITH FAR 91.119, SHOULD MAINTAIN THE LAST ASSIGNED ALT OR THE MEA, WHICHEVER IS HIGHER (SEE NOTE IN AIM PARAGRAPH 270D, AND ENRTE SECTION OF AIM). PLTS PAY PARTICULAR ATTN TO MEA'S OR MOCA (WITHIN 25 MI OF STATION) AS GUIDANCE TO COMPLY WITH FAR 91.11. HOWEVER, CTLRS UTILIZE UNPUBLISHED MVA, NOT KNOWN TO PLTS, FOR SOME ALT ASSIGNMENTS. SOLUTION: CTLRS SHOULD NOTIFY PLTS WHEN AN ALT ASSIGNMENT IS BEING MADE BELOW THE MEA (TO INCLUDE THE AREA TO WHICH THE MVA APPLIES, SPECIFICALLY BTWN FIXES), OR THE CTLR SHOULD PRESUME THE PLT WILL CLB TO COMPLY WITH 91.119.

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.