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L30 controller described incident when visual approach aircraft to vgt failed to contact tower or turn base; resulting in an entry to below MVA status.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 694988 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200604 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : las.vortac |
| State Reference | NV |
| Altitude | msl single value : 5300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : l30.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | PA-44 Seminole Turbo Seminole |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : traffic pattern |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 19 controller time certified in position1 : 5 |
| ASRS Report | 694988 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
Narrative:
Aircraft was on visual approach to vgt airport. Cleared aircraft for visual approach; contact tower and few mins later aircraft calls; says 'can I turn base?' I expanded range; saw that aircraft was approximately 15 mi northwest of vgt in a 9000 ft MVA. At about 5300 ft; I said 'affirmative;' turn base.' still intermittent radio; had them identify. They did so they could hear me. He landed safely; low altitude alert did not activate. Probably because he was on a tower data block. Note: the area he was in was between the hills over a highway. His tracked mimicked the north town 1 departure severe VFR. This track keeps them between the hills below the peaks; and is flight checked.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: L30 CTLR DESCRIBED INCIDENT WHEN VISUAL APCH ACFT TO VGT FAILED TO CONTACT TWR OR TURN BASE; RESULTING IN AN ENTRY TO BELOW MVA STATUS.
Narrative: ACFT WAS ON VISUAL APCH TO VGT ARPT. CLRED ACFT FOR VISUAL APCH; CONTACT TWR AND FEW MINS LATER ACFT CALLS; SAYS 'CAN I TURN BASE?' I EXPANDED RANGE; SAW THAT ACFT WAS APPROX 15 MI NW OF VGT IN A 9000 FT MVA. AT ABOUT 5300 FT; I SAID 'AFFIRMATIVE;' TURN BASE.' STILL INTERMITTENT RADIO; HAD THEM IDENT. THEY DID SO THEY COULD HEAR ME. HE LANDED SAFELY; LOW ALT ALERT DID NOT ACTIVATE. PROBABLY BECAUSE HE WAS ON A TWR DATA BLOCK. NOTE: THE AREA HE WAS IN WAS BTWN THE HILLS OVER A HWY. HIS TRACKED MIMICKED THE N TOWN 1 DEP SEVERE VFR. THIS TRACK KEEPS THEM BTWN THE HILLS BELOW THE PEAKS; AND IS FLT CHKED.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.