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Approach controller reported issuing an altitude below the minimum vectoring altitude; triggering a low altitude alert.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1477355 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201708 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601-1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | RDG.TRACON |
| State Reference | PA |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Medium Transport Low Wing 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | Descent |
| Route In Use | Vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Approach |
| Qualification | Air Traffic Control Fully Certified |
| Experience | Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 20 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT |
Narrative:
Aircraft X checked on frequency expecting an ILS for RY36 as advertised on the ATIS. Due to weather observed on final to RY36 I offered the ILS RY13 as an alternative. The pilot said sounds like a good idea and that he was getting set up for RY13 instead. I then descended him to what I thought was 3000 (the MVA) as I have done for years in that area. The low altitude alert went off somewhere around 2600-2500 MSL. I advised the pilot of his altitude and he said I told him to descend to 2000. At this point he was entering a lower MVA area of 2100. I told him to just maintain 2000 and he simultaneously reported the airport was in sight anyway. I asked if he would like a visual approach clearance instead. He did; and I cleared him for the visual approach for RY13. He landed without incident.aircraft X had his company aircraft Y about 5 miles in trail inbound also. I advised the aircraft of similar sounding call signs. I don't know if it was the [number]'s in the call signs that were on my mind or not; but after I listened to the tape; I indeed did say to descend to 2000; not 3000 as I thought I had. I've descended aircraft in this area probably a couple thousand times in my career and this is the first time 2000 ever came out. I didn't catch the read back of 2000 either. I was expecting 3000. Recommend closer attention to read back and not what I expect to hear.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Approach Controller reported issuing an altitude below the Minimum Vectoring Altitude; triggering a Low Altitude Alert.
Narrative: Aircraft X checked on frequency expecting an ILS for RY36 as advertised on the ATIS. Due to weather observed on final to RY36 I offered the ILS RY13 as an alternative. The pilot said sounds like a good idea and that he was getting set up for RY13 instead. I then descended him to what I thought was 3000 (the MVA) as I have done for years in that area. The Low Altitude alert went off somewhere around 2600-2500 MSL. I advised the pilot of his altitude and he said I told him to descend to 2000. At this point he was entering a lower MVA area of 2100. I told him to just maintain 2000 and he simultaneously reported the airport was in sight anyway. I asked if he would like a visual approach clearance instead. He did; and I cleared him for the visual approach for RY13. He landed without incident.Aircraft X had his company Aircraft Y about 5 miles in trail inbound also. I advised the aircraft of similar sounding call signs. I don't know if it was the [number]'s in the call signs that were on my mind or not; but after I listened to the tape; I indeed did say to descend to 2000; not 3000 as I thought I had. I've descended aircraft in this area probably a couple thousand times in my career and this is the first time 2000 ever came out. I didn't catch the read back of 2000 either. I was expecting 3000. Recommend closer attention to read back and not what I expect to hear.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.