Narrative:

Aircraft X was inbound from the east on a vector for a visual approach. I was working all radar positions combined. As I sat down to take the position I noticed it was about to get busy and I asked the supervisor to come keep an eye on the position; just as an extra set of eyes. Traffic got very busy; pretty quickly. Aircraft X was one of the slower aircraft and I had maybe 6 or 7 in front of him in sequence. I gave him a descent to 2;000 feet (the minimum vectoring altitude is 1;800 feet) as soon as I could and out him on a vector to set him up for a spot in the sequence.aircraft Y was inbound; from the north; on a vector for visual approach descended to 4;000 feet. I had a traffic so I went back an amended his altitude to 6;000 feet. Traffic was still very busy and complex because all my traffic was within 20 miles of final and the airport. Local control called me on the shout line and told me aircraft Z was runway heading. He didn't ask for my approval (per the SOP) and he didn't say which runway the aircraft was departing. The aircraft was already airborne. Aircraft Z departed climbing to 4;000 feet on runway heading. I turned the aircraft to a 020 heading and climbed them to 5;000 feet because they were headed directly at aircraft Y. I scanned my sequence and decided it was time to get aircraft X in for his approach; but I treated him as a VFR aircraft and gave him 'descent your discretion.' he was still on a vector for the visual approach. He started descending. Once it looked like aircraft Z and aircraft Y were going to have lateral separation; I climbed aircraft Z to 15;000 feet (the top of my airspace). I lost separation around 5;200 feet. I had 2.76 nm; I needed 3. I went back to aircraft X and realized I had given an uncontrolled descent to an IFR aircraft. He had the field in sight; so rather than climb him; I just cleared him for the visual approach since it was his turn in sequence. Lost separation with the minimum vectoring altitude at 1;800 feet. He got all the way down to 1;300 feet.local control needs to follow the SOP and request approval for any headings that are not in the SOP instead of assigning the heading and then calling after it has been assigned. They also need to make sure they ask for permission to assign it instead of just telling the radar controller that they are doing it. I should have put up a J ring to make sure I had 3 miles before I climbed aircraft Z. I thought I did; but I was just eye-balling it and I was too busy to keep watching it the whole time. Next time I'll give a bigger turn; if necessary. I will also tell tower unable; if necessary; even if they don't ask. The IFR MVA violation can only be prevented by me being more diligent with my scan. Also; the supervisor was watching my traffic but he wasn't plugged-in and listening. Next time I'll ask him to listen too.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LIT Approach Controller reported distraction caused a loss of separation and an aircraft to be vectored below the MVA.

Narrative: Aircraft X was inbound from the east on a vector for a Visual approach. I was working all radar positions combined. As I sat down to take the position I noticed it was about to get busy and I asked the Supervisor to come keep an eye on the position; just as an extra set of eyes. Traffic got very busy; pretty quickly. Aircraft X was one of the slower aircraft and I had maybe 6 or 7 in front of him in sequence. I gave him a descent to 2;000 feet (the Minimum Vectoring Altitude is 1;800 feet) as soon as I could and out him on a vector to set him up for a spot in the sequence.Aircraft Y was inbound; from the north; on a vector for Visual Approach descended to 4;000 feet. I had a traffic so I went back an amended his altitude to 6;000 feet. Traffic was still very busy and complex because all my traffic was within 20 miles of final and the airport. Local Control called me on the shout line and told me Aircraft Z was runway heading. He didn't ask for my approval (per the SOP) and he didn't say which runway the aircraft was departing. The aircraft was already airborne. Aircraft Z departed climbing to 4;000 feet on runway heading. I turned the aircraft to a 020 heading and climbed them to 5;000 feet because they were headed directly at Aircraft Y. I scanned my sequence and decided it was time to get Aircraft X in for his approach; but I treated him as a VFR aircraft and gave him 'descent your discretion.' He was still on a vector for the visual approach. He started descending. Once it looked like Aircraft Z and Aircraft Y were going to have lateral separation; I climbed Aircraft Z to 15;000 feet (the top of my airspace). I lost separation around 5;200 feet. I had 2.76 nm; I needed 3. I went back to Aircraft X and realized I had given an uncontrolled descent to an IFR aircraft. He had the field in sight; so rather than climb him; I just cleared him for the Visual Approach since it was his turn in sequence. Lost separation with the Minimum Vectoring Altitude at 1;800 feet. He got all the way down to 1;300 feet.Local Control needs to follow the SOP and request approval for any headings that are not in the SOP instead of assigning the heading and then calling after it has been assigned. They also need to make sure they ask for permission to assign it instead of just telling the Radar Controller that they are doing it. I should have put up a J Ring to make sure I had 3 miles before I climbed Aircraft Z. I thought I did; but I was just eye-balling it and I was too busy to keep watching it the whole time. Next time I'll give a bigger turn; if necessary. I will also tell Tower unable; if necessary; even if they don't ask. The IFR MVA violation can only be prevented by me being more diligent with my scan. Also; the Supervisor was watching my traffic but he wasn't plugged-in and listening. Next time I'll ask him to listen too.

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.