Stratotanker 135
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 7
Workload; Situational Awareness; Time Pressure
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert
Airspace Structure; Staffing; Procedure; Human Factors; Company Policy
I was called in to work handoff position because the Radar position had gotten busy. I ran into the TRACON to open the position. I did not receive a briefing because the Radar Controller was busy working traffic and hadn't had a moment. I opened the position and started helping by updating data blocks and answering coordination. I was looking at all the traffic when I noticed an [Aircraft] at 5000 feet about to enter a 5500 foot Minimum Vectoring Altitude (MVA) when I said climb him and pointed at him. The controller gave them an immediate climb to 6000 feet and eventually 7000 feet but the aircraft entered the MVA as they were initiating the climb.Contributing factors would be that Handoff position probably should have been open earlier in anticipation of the traffic. This would have allowed time for a briefing. The Tower Radar was out at a satellite airport requiring more coordination than normal. The weather had just gone from VFR to MVFR as the ceiling was lowering; increasing workload due to Instrument Approaches instead of Visual Approaches. I recommend our facility make a practice of keeping Handoff for Radar open; or at least having it open when equipment outages cause increased workload. Especially when weather deteriorates.
Looking back on the Falcon replay it didn't look like I was as busy as I felt at the time. When I originally started; I had a handoff position who closed the position to go home. As the traffic started to pick up again; I asked for a handoff but still felt like I was a little behind after the handoff started working. [An Aircraft] was in the radar pattern doing practice approaches. I put him on a 360 heading to gain some spacing and got distracted by a departure that was in conflict with 2 other aircraft. I went back to the tanker; turned him towards final; and then realized he was going into the 5500 foot Minimum Vectoring Altitude (MVA) at 5000 feet so I climbed him. I should have issued a low altitude alert and I don't know why I didn't. I usually respond quickly with that kind of thing but I'm wondering if the MSAW (Minimum Safe Altitude Warning) had alarmed maybe; I would have? I also wonder why the MSAW did not alarm? I will consider just climbing a tanker in the pattern if I am giving a vector in that direction from now on; if traffic permits. Although it was completely my mistake I think the MSAW should alarm in these situations. Also; I think as a facility we are getting busier and the traffic is somewhat unpredictable. I think we need to consider either having handoff positions open or the 2 radar sectors split more often; especially when the military is doing practice approaches.I have been guilty myself of thinking we wouldn't be busy; closing certain positions and then everything blows up. Also; I would like us to have a military flying schedule. When I first got here we had one every week and would staff the positions accordingly when we knew the tankers would be practicing. I've asked management about this and they said the military is not willing to give us a schedule anymore because of 'security' reasons. We all have security clearances here so this should not be an issue in my opinion.
GEG Radar Approach controllers reported their sector vectored an aircraft below the Minimum Vectoring Altitude.