Narrative:

I cleared air carrier X for takeoff from runway 16R. At the departure end of the runway, I turned the aircraft to heading 240 degree due to VFR traffic to his north, also wbound and his slow climb rate. (Standard heading is 380 degree for all IFR departures off runways 16R and 16L that are filed west -- through sebound. The aircraft was told to remain on my frequency. While I waited for the air carrier X to gain more altitude (he was cleared to maintain 8000 ft MSL), I was distracted by a VFR small aircraft whom I had lost radio contact with approximately 1 min after turning air carrier X to 240 degree, the pilot reported 'out of 7300 for 8000.' I noticed the aircraft was about 2 or 3 mi from entering an 11000 ft MVA area. I gave air carrier X an 'immediate right turn heading 280 degree' and told him to contact departure control. The heading didn't take the aircraft far enough north and it entered the higher MVA 1 min later. The major contributing factor was the NORDO aircraft which caused me to stop departures until I could ensure the actions that aircraft would take. Without my attention being diverted, air carrier X would have gotten the turn to 280 degree in time to miss the higher MVA. There is a great deal of emphasis put on the importance of controllers maintaining a good visual scan of the work environment. However, I was distracted. Therefore, I really have no helpful suggestion. The emphasis is already there.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR ISSUED RADAR VECTOR HDG WHICH PLACED ACR X BELOW MVA. OPDEV.

Narrative: I CLRED ACR X FOR TKOF FROM RWY 16R. AT THE DEP END OF THE RWY, I TURNED THE ACFT TO HDG 240 DEG DUE TO VFR TFC TO HIS N, ALSO WBOUND AND HIS SLOW CLB RATE. (STANDARD HDG IS 380 DEG FOR ALL IFR DEPS OFF RWYS 16R AND 16L THAT ARE FILED W -- THROUGH SEBOUND. THE ACFT WAS TOLD TO REMAIN ON MY FREQ. WHILE I WAITED FOR THE ACR X TO GAIN MORE ALT (HE WAS CLRED TO MAINTAIN 8000 FT MSL), I WAS DISTRACTED BY A VFR SMA WHOM I HAD LOST RADIO CONTACT WITH APPROX 1 MIN AFTER TURNING ACR X TO 240 DEG, THE PLT RPTED 'OUT OF 7300 FOR 8000.' I NOTICED THE ACFT WAS ABOUT 2 OR 3 MI FROM ENTERING AN 11000 FT MVA AREA. I GAVE ACR X AN 'IMMEDIATE R TURN HDG 280 DEG' AND TOLD HIM TO CONTACT DEP CTL. THE HDG DIDN'T TAKE THE ACFT FAR ENOUGH N AND IT ENTERED THE HIGHER MVA 1 MIN LATER. THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE NORDO ACFT WHICH CAUSED ME TO STOP DEPS UNTIL I COULD ENSURE THE ACTIONS THAT ACFT WOULD TAKE. WITHOUT MY ATTN BEING DIVERTED, ACR X WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE TURN TO 280 DEG IN TIME TO MISS THE HIGHER MVA. THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF EMPHASIS PUT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF CTLRS MAINTAINING A GOOD VISUAL SCAN OF THE WORK ENVIRONMENT. HOWEVER, I WAS DISTRACTED. THEREFORE, I REALLY HAVE NO HELPFUL SUGGESTION. THE EMPHASIS IS ALREADY THERE.

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.