TRACON controller reported the supervisor suspected them of turning an aircraft below the minimum ve...

Attributes
ACN	1755784
Time
Date	202008
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	HCF.TRACON
State Reference	HI
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	S-70/UH-60 Blackhawk/Seahawk/Pavehawk/Knighthawk
Flight Phase	Initial Climb
Route In Use	SID ZZZ
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	VFR Route
Person 1
Function	Approach
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Experience	Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 5
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Conflict Airborne Conflict Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT

Narrative:

An IFR H60; was released from a military air station. The aircraft departed with a malfunctioning mode-c transponder. I instructed the army helicopter to ident. The pilot verbally acknowledged. As the pilot was climbing out on the departure two VFR aircraft were approaching his flight path. I could not radar identify the army helicopter or verify the pilots altitude. The pilot attempted to recycle the transponder several times before I issued traffic on the immediate concerning aircraft at his 12 o'clock and 1 mile. I instructed the aircraft to fly west at that time; which would have appeared to avoid conflict from the first VFR aircraft. I then requested his alititude. The pilot responded three thousand two hundred. The MVA (minimum vectoring altitude) in his area was three thousand two hundred. The highest depicted obstacle was one thousand eight hundred. There was no loss of separation. However; I was suspected of vectoring below the MVA by a nearby supervisor. The pilot requested to return to base VFR under his own navigation. I should have requested his altitude before turning the army helicopter. Altitude seperation should have been the primary attempt for the IFR helicopters saftey. Radar identification should always be established before control instructions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON Controller reported the Supervisor suspected them of turning an aircraft below the Minimum Vectoring Altitude.

Narrative: An IFR H60; was released from a military air station. The aircraft departed with a malfunctioning mode-c transponder. I instructed the army helicopter to ident. The pilot verbally acknowledged. As the pilot was climbing out on the departure two VFR aircraft were approaching his flight path. I could not radar identify the army helicopter or verify the pilots altitude. The pilot attempted to recycle the transponder several times before I issued traffic on the immediate concerning aircraft at his 12 o'clock and 1 mile. I instructed the aircraft to fly west at that time; which would have appeared to avoid conflict from the first VFR aircraft. I then requested his alititude. The pilot responded three thousand two hundred. The MVA (Minimum Vectoring Altitude) in his area was three thousand two hundred. The highest depicted obstacle was one thousand eight hundred. There was no loss of separation. However; I was suspected of vectoring below the MVA by a nearby supervisor. The pilot requested to return to base VFR under his own navigation. I should have requested his altitude before turning the army helicopter. Altitude seperation should have been the primary attempt for the IFR helicopters saftey. Radar identification should always be established before control instructions.

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.

TRACON controller reported the supervisor suspected them of turning an aircraft below the minimum vectoring altitude.