Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 21
Troubleshooting; Confusion; Distraction; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Procedure; Weather
Aircraft X was receiving VFR advisories at 035 to PSK. I started communications with him from CRZA and I advised him of precipitation along his route of flight. He eventually asked if he could pick up an IFR clearance. I verified that he was qualified and capable of IFR flight and that he could maintain his own terrain and obstruction clearance to 060. The MVA in his area was 057 but raised to 059 ahead. He said he could only maintain his own clearance to 050. There was an area to the south of him that was 047 so I advised he head toward that area and report 050 and I'd give his clearance. This took place; and he ran the edge of the terrain areas for a few minutes after receiving his clearance. He said he had a VFR flight plan with flight service so I didn't get any further information from him. Then after reaching 060 and on course for PSK Aircraft X advised he thought he was picking up icing due to some vibrations he was feeling in the aircraft. He seemed very uncomfortable with the situation and asked for descent. I told him I didn't have lower. He said he was going to descend. I said he could maintain 058. He indicated he was going to descend further. I had advised the FLM by now and he was standing nearby. I asked if Aircraft X could maintain VFR; and he said he had ground contact. I told him to maintain VFR. The FLM pushed for me to find out if the pilot was canceling IFR. I told Aircraft X IFR services were canceled; but I shouldn't have said that. I was just trying to think of something to say to go along with what the FLM was trying to push for. I was then told to confirm he was canceling IFR; so I asked Aircraft X that question. He didn't seem like he wanted to say that necessarily but he said something back to me; I don't recall what; and I said Roger; IFR cancellation received; maintain your present squawk code for advisories. An associate position was added to the sector. Aircraft X advised he was only getting rain now and no longer getting ice. Eventually the aircraft was lost in radar contact and put on ROA approach's frequency; but PSK was OVC020 so I'm not sure how he was going to get in there VFR. I had received a break before he was radar contact lost. Thinking back on the event now; I wish and know things could have been done differently and better. In the heat of an emergency type situation it's hard to think of everything and my supervisor kept trying to control what I said so I complied. I think in an emergency type event; the aircraft could have gone lower and I could try to advise of the obstacles nearby; or maybe have gotten him to land BLF; or put him on an airway that had lower MEA. I don't know if these things would have worked; but I don't feel we provided a good service to the pilot. If I had been able to think for myself instead of the inexperienced FLM trying to puppet the situation I may have been able to perform better. I'm not even sure if the pilot landed ok anywhere before I went home; and that's not an easy feeling to deal with. Maybe a reference to emergency in IFR conditions could be readily available at the sector or in ERIDS (En Route Information Display System); or the FLM could have pulled up a checklist for us to refer to instead of just panicking that we can't give lower.
I walked by the controller at the sector and observed an aircraft without a Mode C altitude flashing MSAW (Minimum Safe Altitude Warning). I quick looked the sector from another scope and saw that the aircraft had 060 in the datablock but no Mode C in a 058 MIA. I was waiting on the controller to enter a reported altitude when I heard her clear the aircraft direct PSK VOR. After that the Mode C came up in the datablock showing 050. I then questioned the controller on if she had issued a clearance. She responded yes because he was about to enter a 047 MIA (Minimum IFR Altitude) and that he could not maintain his terrain and obstruction clearance above 050 so she cleared him via radar vectors and turned him towards the lower MIA. Controller subsequently cleared him direct PSK and he turned about 20 degrees further left than PSK keeping him in the 058 MIA even longer. The aircraft then corrected back and eventually was above the MIA. After leveling at 060 the controller told me that he was getting ice and needed to descend so she issued the clearance to the MIA and asked me what [to] do. I said to let the pilot know that 058 was the lowest altitude we could give IFR and ask him if he had ground contact and was in VFR conditions. My primary concern at that point was being in mountainous terrain. The freezing level was between 060-080. I have not listened to the tapes but was told the pilot said he was in VFR conditions and could maintain VFR. When the Controller told me he said he could maintain VFR I told her to verify if he was cancelling his IFR. Controller then told him IFR service was terminated and to maintain VFR to which I told the Controller we cannot do that and to ask him if he was cancelling his IFR. The pilot stated that he was and continued on VFR. Said the icing had gone away. My concern is that maybe I talked the controller into soliciting cancellation of IFR when my major concern was if the aircraft could see the terrain and maintain VFR conditions.Really no recommendations here. Pretty self-explanatory I think. Regulations and procedures were not followed in the beginning and the event just kind of snowballed. In hindsight maybe we could have ask the questions but not mentioned anything about cancelling IFR. I don't think questioning if the aircraft was in VFR conditions was a bad move.
ZID Controller and Front Line Manager (FLM) reported of an aircraft that was encountering icing conditions and had to descend. The aircraft advised ATC and started a descent below the MVA. Controller asked if the aircraft had the terrain insight and was VFR. FLM confused the Controller and the Controller then cancelled the aircraft's IFR clearance. The Controller was relieved before knowing if the aircraft landed at its destination safely.