TRACON controller experienced operational error at 3000 ft; vectoring an aircraft for a localizer ap...

Narrative:

I was vectoring an air carrier at 3;000 ft; for a localizer back course to runway xx. (Only aircraft on frequency.) there are 2 television antennas to the southeast at 2;400 ft MSL. The MVA is 3;400 ft MSL in that area. There is enough room to vector an aircraft for the back course without passing over the MVA. I was distracted from the operation by looking up a topic of discussion in the FAA manual 7110.65S. No low altitude alerts went off prior to the aircraft reaching the MVA or as the aircraft passed through the MVA at 3;000 ft. I think as a controller I could have looked up the information at a later time so as not to be distracted from the operation and; second; if a low altitude alert had notified me of the impending encroachment of the MVA in that area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON Controller experienced operational error at 3000 FT; vectoring an aircraft for a localizer approach; failing to note entry into a 3400 FT MVA; claiming no altitude alert was activated.

Narrative: I was vectoring an air carrier at 3;000 FT; for a LOC back course to Runway XX. (Only aircraft on frequency.) There are 2 television antennas to the southeast at 2;400 FT MSL. The MVA is 3;400 FT MSL in that area. There is enough room to vector an aircraft for the back course without passing over the MVA. I was distracted from the operation by looking up a topic of discussion in the FAA Manual 7110.65S. No low altitude alerts went off prior to the aircraft reaching the MVA or as the aircraft passed through the MVA at 3;000 FT. I think as a Controller I could have looked up the information at a later time so as not to be distracted from the operation and; second; if a low altitude alert had notified me of the impending encroachment of the MVA in that area.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	826103
Time
Date	200903
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Approach
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Experience	Air Traffic Control Radar 11 Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 11
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types
Miss Distance	Horizontal 600 Vertical 1

TRACON controller experienced operational error at 3000 ft; vectoring an aircraft for a localizer approach; failing to note entry into a 3400 ft MVA; claiming no altitude alert was activated.