Military
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 2
Confusion; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert
Human Factors
I was called off of a break to go help the West Radar Controller because he was getting task saturated. I ran down to the TRACON and previewed the best I could before offering to open up the East Radar position to alleviate some of the traffic saturation. The West Radar Controller gave me a brief to the best of his ability given the workload and I accepted the position. I remember being briefed that Aircraft X was descending to 024 (in a 024 MVA) and headed to FBK to do an ASR approach; FBK GCA [ground-control approach] had already accepted the radar handoff. Aircraft X was at approximately 095 when I took the position and he was on the West Radar frequency. After I took the position there was some confusion as to who was on what frequency that we got sorted out along with other tasks to be accomplished. I saw Aircraft X approaching the FBK centerline for the ASR approach at about 050. I was under the impression from the brief that he was already talking to FBK GCA. Aircraft X overflew the centerline and continued descending; he was now in a 040 MVA. FBK GCA observed the aircraft north of their centerlines at 035 and called to inquire about him. I brought it to the West Radar Controllers intention who was also under the impression that he had already shipped Aircraft X to FBK GCA. The West Radar Controller quickly climbed Aircraft X back up to 040 and issued a turn back towards FBK and the lower MVA. The lowest I observed Aircraft X was 031. Our LOA with FBK is setting us up for failure. It states that we will descend all aircraft (IFR/VFR) to 024 when inbound for an approach with FBK GCA. 024 is our lowest MVA and is surrounded by higher MVAs. This is not the first time an aircraft has exited this MVA and entered a higher surrounding one. If an aircraft gets shipped or turned late they are in danger of entering a much higher MVA (1000 FT+) and there are no additional safeguards. We should instead be descending IFR aircraft to 040 to protect for surrounding MVAs.
Working approaches to multiple airports on multiple frequencies with military airspace hot. Aircraft X on vector descending to LOA altitude; ER [east radar] splitting from WR [west radar] and during the brief I told the ER that I was shipping Aircraft X to GCA. I got sidetracked with other business and never shipped. Now Aircraft X is in ER airspace on WR frequency and on a heading that will take it into an MVA [minimum vectoring altitude] that is higher than assigned altitude. I was not scanning ER airspace and didn't realize that a MVA bust was happening until GCA [ground-control approach] called about Aircraft X. I turned Aircraft X back to the lower MVA and climbed him.
Fairbanks TRACON Controllers reported a position split; and a failure to properly handoff an aircraft; let to an unsafe altitude for the aircraft.