DC-9 50
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Procedure
I was CIC in the TRACON. Local Control (LC) called West Arrival (WA) and said that Air Carrier X had lost sight of the airport and was on a 200 heading and later landed. As CIC I was expecting LC to send the aircraft back to RADAR. After I got off position; I listened to the tapes to see what had transpired. On the tape I heard Air Carrier X tell LC 'We lost the field.' LC told the pilot that the airport was at 12 o'clock and 5 miles. LC then told the pilot that the Tower had the aircraft in sight 10-11 o'clock and 4 miles. The pilot reported that he still did not have airport in sight. LC then issued a 200 heading to join the Runway 18L localizer. At this point I stopped listening to the tape and went to the ATM. I told the ATM what I had heard but I didn't know if the pilot was below the MVA when vectored. I told the ATM that I did not file an MOR since I didn't know what had happened and also as a courtesy since the Controller on LC was a recently LC certified FLM. I left the office to return to work and did not see that data the ATM had available to him. The ATM indicated; 'Everything was good.' ATM later found me and told me that he had reviewed the data and I did not need to file a MOR. I have no reason not to believe the ATM. Today I was asked about the incident and became aware that the ATM was in the Tower at the time of the above occurrence. I was also told about other transmissions made so I went back and listened to the event in its entirety. After the 200 heading; the pilot was told to continue left turn heading 160 to join the localizer. The pilot reported airport in sight but they were a little high. LC told Air Carrier X that a left 360 was approved. LC told pilot airport 10-11 o'clock and 4 miles. Air Carrier X replied; 'We'll let you know when we see it'; the aircraft was apparently still in the turn. Air Carrier X reported the airport in sight and LC told Air Carrier X 'Cleared Visual Approach 18L.' The reason I am filing this report is because of 3 safety concerns. The first being that the aircraft was not given instructions (heading/altitude) and returned to RADAR for another approach; causing me to listen to the audio recording. The second and third concerns are that prior to initiating the vector; the LC did not cancel the approach clearance and did not issue an altitude at or above the MVA to maintain until the airport was in sight. As I said above; the ATM said that the aircraft was not vectored below the MVA; but safety was compromised; in my opinion by not cancelling the visual approach clearance and issuing an altitude. It was by luck; not design that the aircraft apparently stayed above the MVA the entire time. My recommendation would be refresher training for all involved.
TRACON Controller described a procedural error by the Local Controller (LC) when the LC issued a 360 turn without consideration of the MVA; the reporter noted the subject aircraft should have been returned to the TRACON.