S-70/UH-60 Blackhawk/Seahawk/Pavehawk/Knighthawk
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Human Factors; Procedure
H60 IFR from GON to HHOTT for the RNAV 27 approach at IJD as part of a string of practice approaches. Weather was VFR; the H60 was IFR. The South Sector attempted to switch the H60 to my frequency at 030 over ORW a few miles from the airspace border. No communication was established on my frequency due to poor radio coverage so he went back to the South frequency. They held onto him a little longer then told him to try me again in 2 minutes with a back up frequency as well if that one does work. A few minutes later I was able to establish a broken transmission and the H60 reported they were over HHOTT commencing procedure turn. I informed him they were still 7 miles south of that fix and not yet near the final approach course. They turned back on to HHOTT so I cleared them for the approach. On the procedure turn inbound I attempted to switch to advisory with no reply numerous times. A minute later the H60 was tracking northwest bound through the final and descending below the crossing altitude. I attempted to reach the H60 on frequency with no reply. I broadcast a low altitude alert on my frequency and the guard frequencies; finally getting a reply as the H60 was now turning back to the final climbing out of 1;200 in the 2;100 MVA area. I ensured they were established on final again and successfully switched them to advisory via the guard frequency. If it is was not VFR conditions this could have resulted in an aircraft accident as they terrain in the area reaches just over 1;000 FT. Our frequency coverage in this area of our airspace is abysmal. It is a common occurrence to lose aircraft on the frequency. I new transmitter tower is supposed to go live this month which offers some hope of better coverage but in the mean time an immediate and real safety hazard still exists. To not be able to communicate with an aircraft in a hazardous situation due to known equipment limitations is unacceptable. Perhaps the approaches plates for these airports or a general NOTAM for the area would help to educate the pilots that this situation exists.
PVD Controller described a MVA event when communications with a helicopter conducting a practice approach was intermittent; the reporter claiming ATC radio coverage in the subject area is unacceptable.