At one of the crossing points while on an ASR approach, the pilot descended below the minimum descen...

Attributes
ACN	421881
Time
Date	199811
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : shv
State Reference	LA
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : shv
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 2
ASRS Report	421881
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was working all radar position combined when a VFR called up wanting to return to shv. I gave the aircraft a squawk and radar idented it. Since all local airports were IFR, I asked the pilot if he was IFR rated. He said the plane wasn't, but he was. I asked, did that mean he couldn't fly the ILS to shv. He said no, but that he had a VOR. I asked, did he want a VOR approach to shreveport downtown (dtn). He did, and I vectored him there. After clearing him and giving a frequency change, he stated he needed a stepdown. I asked, did he want a surveillance approach. He said yes. There is not one available to dtn. I asked, did he want one to shv. He did, so I vectored him to shv and handed him off to the surveillance controller. During his approach, he descended below the MVA without the surveillance controller hearing him say he was. After the controller realized he had descended, he climbed him back to the MVA. He handed him back off to me and I later gave him an IFR clearance to txk. I guess I should have asked more questions (stepdown?) and possibly he just needed me to call the FAF at dtn, thereby, allowing him to land without any problems.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AT ONE OF THE XING POINTS WHILE ON AN ASR APCH, THE PLT DSNDED BELOW THE MINIMUM DSCNT ALT (MDA). THIS MISCUE WAS CAUGHT ONLY AFTER THE PLT MENTIONED IT TO THE CTLR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING ALL RADAR POS COMBINED WHEN A VFR CALLED UP WANTING TO RETURN TO SHV. I GAVE THE ACFT A SQUAWK AND RADAR IDENTED IT. SINCE ALL LCL ARPTS WERE IFR, I ASKED THE PLT IF HE WAS IFR RATED. HE SAID THE PLANE WASN'T, BUT HE WAS. I ASKED, DID THAT MEAN HE COULDN'T FLY THE ILS TO SHV. HE SAID NO, BUT THAT HE HAD A VOR. I ASKED, DID HE WANT A VOR APCH TO SHREVEPORT DOWNTOWN (DTN). HE DID, AND I VECTORED HIM THERE. AFTER CLRING HIM AND GIVING A FREQ CHANGE, HE STATED HE NEEDED A STEPDOWN. I ASKED, DID HE WANT A SURVEILLANCE APCH. HE SAID YES. THERE IS NOT ONE AVAILABLE TO DTN. I ASKED, DID HE WANT ONE TO SHV. HE DID, SO I VECTORED HIM TO SHV AND HANDED HIM OFF TO THE SURVEILLANCE CTLR. DURING HIS APCH, HE DSNDED BELOW THE MVA WITHOUT THE SURVEILLANCE CTLR HEARING HIM SAY HE WAS. AFTER THE CTLR REALIZED HE HAD DSNDED, HE CLBED HIM BACK TO THE MVA. HE HANDED HIM BACK OFF TO ME AND I LATER GAVE HIM AN IFR CLRNC TO TXK. I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE ASKED MORE QUESTIONS (STEPDOWN?) AND POSSIBLY HE JUST NEEDED ME TO CALL THE FAF AT DTN, THEREBY, ALLOWING HIM TO LAND WITHOUT ANY PROBS.

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.

At one of the crossing points while on an ASR approach, the pilot descended below the minimum descent altitude (MDA). This miscue was caught only after the pilot mentioned it to the controller.