Bombardier Learjet Undifferentiated or Other Model
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 12
Distraction; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Ground Event / Encounter Ground Equipment Issue; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Airspace Structure; Chart Or Publication; Equipment / Tooling; Human Factors; Procedure
Flight check was on an IFR flight plan and asked to test the MSAW (Minimum Safe Altitude Warning). He was issued a descent to 1700 ft. and headed toward a 2000 ft. MVA (Minimum Vectoring Altitude) for an antenna. Flight check never set the MSAW off and descended below 1700 ft. to 1500 ft.. I issued a vector to a 340 heading to avoid the obstruction MVA and just registered his descent as an anomaly since he was requesting to try and cause the alarm. In the process of telling flight check he wasn't setting the alarm off and answering other questions. I didn't realize he read back the wrong heading and then flight check cancelled IFR but had already entered the MVA of 2000 ft. at 1700 ft.More transparency with the flight check aircraft and the pilot should have been VFR when descending below the MVA in an intentional attempt to set off the MSAW system.
TRACON Controller reported an aircraft descended below their assigned altitude; read back the wrong heading assignment; and flew below the Minimum Vectoring Altitude. The ATC Minimum Safe Altitude Warning never activated.