Small Aircraft
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 4.4
Distraction; Situational Awareness; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Airspace Structure; Human Factors
Aircraft X was approved direct the initial fix for the RNAV approach. I forgot about approving direct to the initial fix; so the aircraft was farther east than I expected. I descended the aircraft to 3000 feet to get him below VFR traffic in his path; and he descended into a 3300 foot Minimum Vectoring Altitude area. The handoff controller brought it to my attention; and I issued a turn away from the antenna. The aircraft had already descended below the safe altitude. I need to be more attentive and project flight path before issuing control instructions.
A TRACON Controller reported they forgot the route they had issued to an aircraft would cause it to descend below the Minimum Vectoring Altitude.