Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 3.0
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Procedure; Weather; Human Factors
I had an aircraft depart southeast bound from the airport. I knew the pilot was a new pilot and let the Radar Controller know that the pilot may be returning after departure. The clouds were scattered at 1;400 feet; but got pretty thick and hazy and eventually went broken or overcast at those same altitudes. I instructed the pilot to fly a heading to avoid an arrival and later issued another heading thinking this would convince the new pilot to return for landing. Once the pilot indicated they wanted to maintain an altitude below the clouds I let them go to Departure Control on course thinking they were happy with the weather. A few minutes after around five or six miles east of the airport; the same pilot requested an IFR clearance to go above the clouds. The Departure Controller didn't ask if they could 'maintain terrain or obstruction clearance' or maybe if they were IFR equipped and capable. The controller issued the clearance and to climb. The aircraft was at 1;600 feet and the MVA (Minimum Vectoring Altitude) for that area was 2;200 feet with a 3;000 feet. MVA nearby. That said; the conditions of the day were changing rapidly and might have been ok but in my opinion; the clouds were growing thick. Reasonable assurance for a climb to the MVA probably wasn't an option for the pilot.Controllers should take care with aircraft that literally say; 'I want to climb above these clouds; can I get an IFR clearance?' and then immediately clear them without asking some questions first. This same person wouldn't have done any such thing if there was another IFR aircraft around or if they were in the MVA. I think they were caught off guard. Maybe just some training on MVA and IFR separation or something new for us Midwestern controllers would be simulations in mountainous terrain to get out mind thinking about the MVAs.
Tower Controller reported an IFR clearance was issued by Departure Control to an aircraft below the Minimum Vectoring Altitude.