Narrative:

Simultaneous ILS approachs were in use to runway 28L&right with moderate to heavy traffic. Fgt inbound requested a VOR 28L approach, as he was not ILS equipped, with the feeder controller. The supervisor made the decision that I would vector the fgt for a visual approach to runway 28L since I was working arrival south position. The VOR 28L approach was not an option then as the final approach course intersects both runway 28L&right ILS final approachs. The visual approach also should not have been an option as a 15 broken ceiling is 300 ft below visual minimums. When I questioned the supervisor on the minimums he said go ahead and run the visual approach, it's good enough for him. At approximately 12 mi east of the airport, I issued fgt an altitude of 2500 ft. At this point he descended to 17 MSL and I lost radio with him. I was able to reestablish radio communication with the fgt on the backup transmitter, but not until after he passed between 2 2100-ft MSL antennas. I then climbed him to 2500 ft MSL, where he saw runway 28L on about a 3 mi final. He was then issued the visual approach clearance. Instead of complying with the supervisor, I should have suggested that we hold the fgt until visual minimums were available or traffic was light enough for the VOR 28L approach to be used.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL FGT ON VECTOR FOR VISUAL APCH DSNDED BELOW ASSIGNED ALT AND HAD CLOSE PROX WITH ANTENNAS.

Narrative: SIMULTANEOUS ILS APCHS WERE IN USE TO RWY 28L&R WITH MODERATE TO HVY TFC. FGT INBOUND REQUESTED A VOR 28L APCH, AS HE WAS NOT ILS EQUIPPED, WITH THE FEEDER CTLR. THE SUPVR MADE THE DECISION THAT I WOULD VECTOR THE FGT FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 28L SINCE I WAS WORKING ARR S POS. THE VOR 28L APCH WAS NOT AN OPTION THEN AS THE FINAL APCH COURSE INTERSECTS BOTH RWY 28L&R ILS FINAL APCHS. THE VISUAL APCH ALSO SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AN OPTION AS A 15 BROKEN CEILING IS 300 FT BELOW VISUAL MINIMUMS. WHEN I QUESTIONED THE SUPVR ON THE MINIMUMS HE SAID GO AHEAD AND RUN THE VISUAL APCH, IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR HIM. AT APPROX 12 MI E OF THE ARPT, I ISSUED FGT AN ALT OF 2500 FT. AT THIS POINT HE DSNDED TO 17 MSL AND I LOST RADIO WITH HIM. I WAS ABLE TO REESTABLISH RADIO COM WITH THE FGT ON THE BACKUP XMITTER, BUT NOT UNTIL AFTER HE PASSED BTWN 2 2100-FT MSL ANTENNAS. I THEN CLBED HIM TO 2500 FT MSL, WHERE HE SAW RWY 28L ON ABOUT A 3 MI FINAL. HE WAS THEN ISSUED THE VISUAL APCH CLRNC. INSTEAD OF COMPLYING WITH THE SUPVR, I SHOULD HAVE SUGGESTED THAT WE HOLD THE FGT UNTIL VISUAL MINIMUMS WERE AVAILABLE OR TFC WAS LIGHT ENOUGH FOR THE VOR 28L APCH TO BE USED.

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.