Beech 1900
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
General None Reported / Taken
Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
ACR X; who was cleared for a Visual Approach; was switched to advisories and told to cancel on the ground. About three minutes later I noticed aircraft level at 080 MSL beginning to make a turn to the northeast away from the airport without prior communication of intentions. I then proceeded to try multiple transmitter sites and relaying through another aircraft to contact ACR X and ascertain his intentions. About two minutes after that; ACR X called and expressed that he was experiencing an unsafe gear warning light and needed time to 'go through his checklist'. Once I realized his intention to either orbit or hold at the local VOR; I climbed aircraft to a safe altitude for terrain and cleared him to the VOR to hold and await further instructions. When I decided to climb the aircraft they were between 080 and 085 in a 090 MIA. I neglected to advise him of the terrain or wait to climb the aircraft when he was about the MIA of 090. On the pilot side; ACR X should have contacted me sooner to advise us of his intentions and what situation he was experiencing. I should have ascertained whether aircraft had good visual with the terrain using proper phraseology and then used prescribed phraseology to give him a clearance once I observed him above the minimum safe altitude.
An Enroute Controller described an emergency event involving an aircraft cleared for a Visual Approach to a non-towered airport.