Medium Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 7.0
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance
Airspace Structure; Human Factors; Procedure
Aircraft X was on vectors for a GPS approach at MFR (this approach is to the airport not to the runway and not a precision approach). Aircraft X was issued distance from the final approach fix; heading 290 and 9000 feet until established. They read back direct and 9000 until established; which appeared would be essentially the same; so I did not correct them. Just south of the final approach fix the low altitude alert went off and I asked them to verify they had the terrain in sight. Initially they said no; but before I issued a low altitude alert they confirmed they had the terrain in sight. I issued the low altitude alert and gave the MVA (minimum vectoring altitude) of 8700 feet. They climbed to 8700 feet. I verified they were still established and re-cleared them for the approach.Tower should not advertise circling approaches due to terrain; most air carriers will not even accept this approach. Precision approaches should be used; unless visuals can be advertised due to terrain and complexity of the non-precision approaches. The airspace design does not allow precision approaches from the south.
TRACON Controller reported an aircraft on a heading to intercept an approach descended early and below the Minimum Vectoring Altitude.