TRACON controller vectors PA44 into higher terrain, below the MVA.

Attributes
ACN	421074
Time
Date	199811
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sjc airport : rhv
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-44 Seminole Turbo Seminole
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
ASRS Report	421074
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Aircraft departed rhv to oak. Aircraft departure climbing to 3000 ft. Aircraft was vectored north of sjc on a heading of 320 degrees. This heading put him in a 4000 ft MVA. When this was discovered, aircraft was turned to 270 degrees and climbed to 4000 ft. 1 mi later, aircraft was turned right again to heading 320 degrees and changed to richmond sector frequency. Aircraft cross this area all day at 1500 ft and 2500 ft via landmark hotel direct sjc. Aircraft was in no danger of hitting any mountains. He was on a heading away from hills.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON CTLR VECTORS PA44 INTO HIGHER TERRAIN, BELOW THE MVA.

Narrative: ACFT DEPARTED RHV TO OAK. ACFT DEP CLBING TO 3000 FT. ACFT WAS VECTORED N OF SJC ON A HDG OF 320 DEGS. THIS HDG PUT HIM IN A 4000 FT MVA. WHEN THIS WAS DISCOVERED, ACFT WAS TURNED TO 270 DEGS AND CLBED TO 4000 FT. 1 MI LATER, ACFT WAS TURNED R AGAIN TO HDG 320 DEGS AND CHANGED TO RICHMOND SECTOR FREQ. ACFT CROSS THIS AREA ALL DAY AT 1500 FT AND 2500 FT VIA LANDMARK HOTEL DIRECT SJC. ACFT WAS IN NO DANGER OF HITTING ANY MOUNTAINS. HE WAS ON A HDG AWAY FROM HILLS.

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.