Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 22
Confusion; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Airport; Human Factors; Chart Or Publication
I had no aircraft on frequency; adjacent sector had two aircraft on frequency; the first of which was Aircraft X; which was cleared for the RNAV Approach. The adjacent sector controller switched communication to ZZZ Tower; and a few miles later; the tower calls over the hot line; adjacent sector controller picks up; and the controller tells her that Aircraft X wants vectors for the ILS. Aircraft X then comes up on my frequency; and in shock that he is below my Minimum Vectoring Altitude and heading due south to a higher Minimum Vectoring Altitude; I immediately issue a heading of 230 and climb and maintain three thousand five hundred feet; which is the Minimum Vectoring Altitude in the area he is currently in. The aircraft was NOT still on the RNAV approach; because then he would have been in a turn. Aircraft X then said he had the airport in sight; and I gave him a visual approach. I asked him if he had a problem on the approach. I forget what he said; but I reissued the visual approach; then gave him the Brasher warning about possible pilot deviation; and then switched him to the tower.
TRACON Controller reported an aircraft was cleared for an RNAV Approach and switched to Tower frequency. The aircraft broke off from the approach and turned away from the airport below the minimum vectoring altitude. The Controller did not get a clear explanation from the flight crew. The flight crew reported the airport in sight and the Controller cleared them for a visual approach.