Narrative:

Aircraft X inbound to honolulu international airport. The problem arose when aircraft X reported in on my frequency with the current ATIS at 10000 ft and unable to hold short. On initial contact I thought I gave aircraft X a 230 degree heading and descended the aircraft to 8000 ft to expect the visual approach to runway 8L. After I reviewed the tapes I realized that I told aircraft X, to fly heading 230 degrees, descend and maintain 3000 ft and to expect the visual approach to runway 8L. I then kept up my scan with other aircraft on frequency. When I got back to aircraft X I noticed him at 5700 ft. I immediately told aircraft X to maintain 8000 ft. Aircraft X said he read back on initial contact 3000 ft. As I was giving 'low altitude alert check your altitude immediately the MVA in your area is 6000 ft' my assist was bringing up the MVA map. I looked at his MVA map quickly and then told aircraft X the MVA is 4700 ft. Aircraft X said he was climbing to 8000 ft. At no time did I observe aircraft X descend below 5400 ft. How it was discovered: I noticed it was about the same time the pilot did because he keyed his microphone right before I did. I then waited for him to finish his transmission. I then instructed him to maintain 8000 ft. Corrective actions: I told the pilot to maintain 8000 ft because I didn't want him to descend any further and I wanted him to climb. Factors affecting the quality of human performance: we just started working on the new equipment a month ago and the traffic was of a moderate flow. Perceptions, judgement and decisions: the descent to 5400 ft was from the inadvertent or unintentional call of myself for human error. The 3000 ft altitude comes from our arrs inbound from the southeast because we normally put them on a 285 degree heading and descend them to 3000 ft. The aircraft where aircraft X was at usually get a 230 degree heading and descend to 8000 ft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARR RADAR CTLR AT HNL INADVERTENTLY DSNDED AN ACR DC10 WELL BELOW THE MINIMUM VECTOR ALT (MVA).

Narrative: ACFT X INBOUND TO HONOLULU INTL ARPT. THE PROB AROSE WHEN ACFT X RPTED IN ON MY FREQ WITH THE CURRENT ATIS AT 10000 FT AND UNABLE TO HOLD SHORT. ON INITIAL CONTACT I THOUGHT I GAVE ACFT X A 230 DEG HDG AND DSNDED THE ACFT TO 8000 FT TO EXPECT THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 8L. AFTER I REVIEWED THE TAPES I REALIZED THAT I TOLD ACFT X, TO FLY HDG 230 DEGS, DSND AND MAINTAIN 3000 FT AND TO EXPECT THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 8L. I THEN KEPT UP MY SCAN WITH OTHER ACFT ON FREQ. WHEN I GOT BACK TO ACFT X I NOTICED HIM AT 5700 FT. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD ACFT X TO MAINTAIN 8000 FT. ACFT X SAID HE READ BACK ON INITIAL CONTACT 3000 FT. AS I WAS GIVING 'LOW ALT ALERT CHK YOUR ALT IMMEDIATELY THE MVA IN YOUR AREA IS 6000 FT' MY ASSIST WAS BRINGING UP THE MVA MAP. I LOOKED AT HIS MVA MAP QUICKLY AND THEN TOLD ACFT X THE MVA IS 4700 FT. ACFT X SAID HE WAS CLBING TO 8000 FT. AT NO TIME DID I OBSERVE ACFT X DSND BELOW 5400 FT. HOW IT WAS DISCOVERED: I NOTICED IT WAS ABOUT THE SAME TIME THE PLT DID BECAUSE HE KEYED HIS MIKE RIGHT BEFORE I DID. I THEN WAITED FOR HIM TO FINISH HIS XMISSION. I THEN INSTRUCTED HIM TO MAINTAIN 8000 FT. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: I TOLD THE PLT TO MAINTAIN 8000 FT BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT HIM TO DSND ANY FURTHER AND I WANTED HIM TO CLB. FACTORS AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE: WE JUST STARTED WORKING ON THE NEW EQUIP A MONTH AGO AND THE TFC WAS OF A MODERATE FLOW. PERCEPTIONS, JUDGEMENT AND DECISIONS: THE DSCNT TO 5400 FT WAS FROM THE INADVERTENT OR UNINTENTIONAL CALL OF MYSELF FOR HUMAN ERROR. THE 3000 FT ALT COMES FROM OUR ARRS INBOUND FROM THE SE BECAUSE WE NORMALLY PUT THEM ON A 285 DEG HDG AND DSND THEM TO 3000 FT. THE ACFT WHERE ACFT X WAS AT USUALLY GET A 230 DEG HDG AND DSND TO 8000 FT.

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.