Duke 60
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Other / Unknown; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Declared Emergency
Aircraft; Procedure
I was giving OJTI. A BE60 departed the airport heading 300 climbing to 2;500. My trainee handed the aircraft off to Radar West then informed the BE60 RADAR contact and issued 124.0 for Radar West about 3 miles northwest of the airport. The BE60 acknowledged. There was a 3;300 MVA 10 miles northwest of the airport. The BE60 never switched over. Radar West Controller and I try to climb the BE60 multiple times once we realized we lost communications. The BE60 flew straight through the 3;300 MVA at 2;500. The BE60 eventually squawked emergency about 10 mile northwest of the airport and began maneuvering and climbing in a large left turn to on course east bound. Then closer to the next airport the aircraft squawked VFR. Eventually; the Radar West Controller was able to contact the BE60 and found out that the aircraft experienced some kind of electrical problem which caused the radios to fail. The pilot chose to continue of the original flight plan and went on their way. The departure heading off the airport in a 1L/1R flow should be a heading which will keep departures south of the 3;300 MVA. I don't think 300 is a good heading even when there aren't any equipment failures.
TRACON Controller described an MVA infraction when an IFR aircraft on an assigned heading/altitude experienced electrical problems and failed to respond to ATC instructions; the reporter suggesting changes to initial heading assignments.