Air taxi pilot misreads MEA and climbs through occupied altitude.

Attributes
ACN	173470
Time
Date	199103
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : odk
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zan tower : pvd
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 8500 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	173470
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Clearance from tower was depart runway 28 at kodiak, turn direct to the VOR, climb to 6000', expect further clearance in 5 mins. After departure on center frequency 125.1, we departed kodiak and turned right direct to the VOR. When we tuned in center, they were telling air carrier to fly the 10 DME arc and were giving them holding instructions in the event center could not raise us in time. Air carrier was to maintain 7000' on the arc. At 5000' we entered the clouds. At about 5 DME west of the VOR, we established contact with center. They asked if we could turn westbound at the present time. Center was talking to other traffic on other frequencys, so that by the time we could respond in the affirmative, we had just approached the VOR from the west. They told us to turn westbound and report established. I began a left turn, and crossing the VOR wbound, I reached 6000'. I looked down at the en route chart and saw that the MEA for the route I had filed to dillingham was 10000'. Center was still talking to other traffic and I could not advise them of my position. In my estimation, I needed to get to 10000' once established westbound, so I initiated a climb after passing the VOR westbound. I finally was able to tell center that I was established westbound (at about 2.5 DME) west of the VOR. They asked my altitude and I advised them we were through 8000'. They asked air carrier their position and altitude. They responded they had just intercepted the localizer at 7000'. Center told me I had exceeded my clearance. Due to the radio traffic, I did what I felt was the safest procedure. After studying the chart on the ground at dillingham, I discovered that I had a segment for 20 mi west of the VOR where the MEA was only 6000'. However, in the haste to satisfy center's request to get established westbound in order not to delay air carrier into kodiak, I only saw the higher altitude restriction. The fact that the center controller was talking to other traffic on other frequencys also contributed to this incident, in my opinion. One of the aircraft he was handling was small transport B eej 12. He mistakenly called us small transport B dda 12 several times. In fact, one of the calls was small transport B 12, and I wasn't sure if it was for us or the small transport B. Either the call did not require a response, or it was really for the small transport B, as the request was not repeated.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI PLT MISREADS MEA AND CLIMBS THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT.

Narrative: CLRNC FROM TWR WAS DEPART RWY 28 AT KODIAK, TURN DIRECT TO THE VOR, CLB TO 6000', EXPECT FURTHER CLRNC IN 5 MINS. AFTER DEP ON CENTER FREQ 125.1, WE DEPARTED KODIAK AND TURNED RIGHT DIRECT TO THE VOR. WHEN WE TUNED IN CENTER, THEY WERE TELLING ACR TO FLY THE 10 DME ARC AND WERE GIVING THEM HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS IN THE EVENT CENTER COULD NOT RAISE US IN TIME. ACR WAS TO MAINTAIN 7000' ON THE ARC. AT 5000' WE ENTERED THE CLOUDS. AT ABOUT 5 DME W OF THE VOR, WE ESTABLISHED CONTACT WITH CENTER. THEY ASKED IF WE COULD TURN WBND AT THE PRESENT TIME. CENTER WAS TALKING TO OTHER TFC ON OTHER FREQS, SO THAT BY THE TIME WE COULD RESPOND IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, WE HAD JUST APCHED THE VOR FROM THE W. THEY TOLD US TO TURN WBND AND RPT ESTABLISHED. I BEGAN A LEFT TURN, AND XING THE VOR WBOUND, I REACHED 6000'. I LOOKED DOWN AT THE ENRTE CHART AND SAW THAT THE MEA FOR THE RTE I HAD FILED TO DILLINGHAM WAS 10000'. CENTER WAS STILL TALKING TO OTHER TFC AND I COULD NOT ADVISE THEM OF MY POS. IN MY ESTIMATION, I NEEDED TO GET TO 10000' ONCE ESTABLISHED WBND, SO I INITIATED A CLB AFTER PASSING THE VOR WBND. I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO TELL CENTER THAT I WAS ESTABLISHED WBND (AT ABOUT 2.5 DME) W OF THE VOR. THEY ASKED MY ALT AND I ADVISED THEM WE WERE THROUGH 8000'. THEY ASKED ACR THEIR POS AND ALT. THEY RESPONDED THEY HAD JUST INTERCEPTED THE LOC AT 7000'. CENTER TOLD ME I HAD EXCEEDED MY CLRNC. DUE TO THE RADIO TFC, I DID WHAT I FELT WAS THE SAFEST PROC. AFTER STUDYING THE CHART ON THE GND AT DILLINGHAM, I DISCOVERED THAT I HAD A SEGMENT FOR 20 MI W OF THE VOR WHERE THE MEA WAS ONLY 6000'. HOWEVER, IN THE HASTE TO SATISFY CENTER'S REQUEST TO GET ESTABLISHED WBND IN ORDER NOT TO DELAY ACR INTO KODIAK, I ONLY SAW THE HIGHER ALT RESTRICTION. THE FACT THAT THE CENTER CTLR WAS TALKING TO OTHER TFC ON OTHER FREQS ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT, IN MY OPINION. ONE OF THE ACFT HE WAS HANDLING WAS SMT B EEJ 12. HE MISTAKENLY CALLED US SMT B DDA 12 SEVERAL TIMES. IN FACT, ONE OF THE CALLS WAS SMT B 12, AND I WASN'T SURE IF IT WAS FOR US OR THE SMT B. EITHER THE CALL DID NOT REQUIRE A RESPONSE, OR IT WAS REALLY FOR THE SMT B, AS THE REQUEST WAS NOT REPEATED.

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.