Narrative:

I was working the toga sector at nct. Aircraft X PC12 was on IFR flight. I coordination with grove (oak arrival sector) to send aircraft X direct sunol via V334. Grove approved and advised me to only climb to 4000 ft instead of 5000 ft. I issued control instructions to aircraft X: proceed direct sunol; climb and maintain 4000 ft. Aircraft X advised me sunol was not in his flight plan; he had altam V334. I advised aircraft X that sunol was on V334 and was about 11 mi from his position. He advised he would dial it in and go direct. I changed aircraft X to 125.35 (grove frequency). Moments later; I noticed aircraft X was at 3100 ft. I advised grove that aircraft X was not climbing. They (grove) immediately climbed aircraft X to 4000 ft. Aircraft X was in a 4000 ft MVA area at 3100 ft. Resulting in a loss of separation from terrain. The toga; grove woodside (sfo arrs) airspace is very complex with many shelves; combined with high altitude terrain can make things very complex. The limited airspace toga can add to the complexity of a situation. In this particular scenario; which happens 10-20 times a day; the toga controller is required to keep these sql and pao departures at 3000 ft due to aircraft inbound to sfo. Once we pass the 'airspace line' (we have to be 1 1/2 mi from the line before we can climb) there is a 4000 ft MVA. So we must immediately issue a climb from 3000 ft to at least 4000 ft. If we delay this clearance or if; as in this case; the pilot does not read it back; we have a MVA deviation/error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NCT CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR WHEN ACFT ENTERED MVA AREA BELOW REQUIRED ALT.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE TOGA SECTOR AT NCT. ACFT X PC12 WAS ON IFR FLT. I COORD WITH GROVE (OAK ARR SECTOR) TO SEND ACFT X DIRECT SUNOL VIA V334. GROVE APPROVED AND ADVISED ME TO ONLY CLB TO 4000 FT INSTEAD OF 5000 FT. I ISSUED CTL INSTRUCTIONS TO ACFT X: PROCEED DIRECT SUNOL; CLB AND MAINTAIN 4000 FT. ACFT X ADVISED ME SUNOL WAS NOT IN HIS FLT PLAN; HE HAD ALTAM V334. I ADVISED ACFT X THAT SUNOL WAS ON V334 AND WAS ABOUT 11 MI FROM HIS POS. HE ADVISED HE WOULD DIAL IT IN AND GO DIRECT. I CHANGED ACFT X TO 125.35 (GROVE FREQ). MOMENTS LATER; I NOTICED ACFT X WAS AT 3100 FT. I ADVISED GROVE THAT ACFT X WAS NOT CLBING. THEY (GROVE) IMMEDIATELY CLBED ACFT X TO 4000 FT. ACFT X WAS IN A 4000 FT MVA AREA AT 3100 FT. RESULTING IN A LOSS OF SEPARATION FROM TERRAIN. THE TOGA; GROVE WOODSIDE (SFO ARRS) AIRSPACE IS VERY COMPLEX WITH MANY SHELVES; COMBINED WITH HIGH ALT TERRAIN CAN MAKE THINGS VERY COMPLEX. THE LIMITED AIRSPACE TOGA CAN ADD TO THE COMPLEXITY OF A SITUATION. IN THIS PARTICULAR SCENARIO; WHICH HAPPENS 10-20 TIMES A DAY; THE TOGA CTLR IS REQUIRED TO KEEP THESE SQL AND PAO DEPS AT 3000 FT DUE TO ACFT INBOUND TO SFO. ONCE WE PASS THE 'AIRSPACE LINE' (WE HAVE TO BE 1 1/2 MI FROM THE LINE BEFORE WE CAN CLB) THERE IS A 4000 FT MVA. SO WE MUST IMMEDIATELY ISSUE A CLB FROM 3000 FT TO AT LEAST 4000 FT. IF WE DELAY THIS CLRNC OR IF; AS IN THIS CASE; THE PLT DOES NOT READ IT BACK; WE HAVE A MVA DEV/ERROR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.