FA20 crew receive a terrain alert when inadvertently vectored by alb approach controller below MVA.

Attributes
ACN	592645
Time
Date	200309
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : psf.airport
State Reference	MA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Falcon 20FJF/20C/20D/20E/20F
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Experience	controller military : 8 controller radar : 20 controller supervisory : 1 controller time certified in position1 : 12
ASRS Report	592645
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar/mva aircraft equipment : gpws other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Aircraft X was on a radar vector eastbound and descending to 4000 ft to avoid northbound BE02 traffic descending to 5000 ft from the south. We then changed runways and BE02 traffic no longer a factor. Aircraft X was then given a vector to the localizer runway 26 approach at psf. This vector cut across an MVA area of 4700 ft. He was descending to 4000 ft. As he crossed the MVA boundary, he asked to verify 4000 ft. I climbed him to 4700 ft to comply with MVA of 4700 ft. He said he had a terrain alert. He completed the rest of flight normally and landed without further incident. I believe this situation happened due to several factors: 1) busy session. Another scope should have been open (ie, fv). 2) runway change. 3) just got on position and scope confign was (in my opinion) totally wrong confign. Very hard to work traffic while scrambling to set up your scope. These are the new stars' scopes with numerous adjustments. 4) opened final 'after the fact' which makes the situation even more complex. 5) practice approachs going on. The pilot called and said he was VMC and could see the terrain. Mount greylock is the terrain in question. My vectors put him at about 3 mi from it. His altitude 4400 ft climbing to 4700 ft. MVA there was 4700 ft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FA20 CREW RECEIVE A TERRAIN ALERT WHEN INADVERTENTLY VECTORED BY ALB APCH CTLR BELOW MVA.

Narrative: ACFT X WAS ON A RADAR VECTOR EBOUND AND DSNDING TO 4000 FT TO AVOID NBOUND BE02 TFC DSNDING TO 5000 FT FROM THE S. WE THEN CHANGED RWYS AND BE02 TFC NO LONGER A FACTOR. ACFT X WAS THEN GIVEN A VECTOR TO THE LOC RWY 26 APCH AT PSF. THIS VECTOR CUT ACROSS AN MVA AREA OF 4700 FT. HE WAS DSNDING TO 4000 FT. AS HE CROSSED THE MVA BOUNDARY, HE ASKED TO VERIFY 4000 FT. I CLBED HIM TO 4700 FT TO COMPLY WITH MVA OF 4700 FT. HE SAID HE HAD A TERRAIN ALERT. HE COMPLETED THE REST OF FLT NORMALLY AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THIS SIT HAPPENED DUE TO SEVERAL FACTORS: 1) BUSY SESSION. ANOTHER SCOPE SHOULD HAVE BEEN OPEN (IE, FV). 2) RWY CHANGE. 3) JUST GOT ON POS AND SCOPE CONFIGN WAS (IN MY OPINION) TOTALLY WRONG CONFIGN. VERY HARD TO WORK TFC WHILE SCRAMBLING TO SET UP YOUR SCOPE. THESE ARE THE NEW STARS' SCOPES WITH NUMEROUS ADJUSTMENTS. 4) OPENED FINAL 'AFTER THE FACT' WHICH MAKES THE SIT EVEN MORE COMPLEX. 5) PRACTICE APCHS GOING ON. THE PLT CALLED AND SAID HE WAS VMC AND COULD SEE THE TERRAIN. MOUNT GREYLOCK IS THE TERRAIN IN QUESTION. MY VECTORS PUT HIM AT ABOUT 3 MI FROM IT. HIS ALT 4400 FT CLBING TO 4700 FT. MVA THERE WAS 4700 FT.

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.