Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Confusion; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Landing Without Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
General None Reported / Taken
Procedure; Weather; Human Factors
I failed to issue a new clearance limit to an aircraft. The aircraft landed without incident. A C182 had been in my airspace for about 20 minutes. During that time; he requested tops; altimeter; and other weather several times. I noticed him deviating from course and asked him. He came back and requested a reroute. He then deviated again a bit; and it seemed like he was having trouble with his GPS. He asked the wind at the airport; and I issued it. He told me he was iced up and wanted to land. I gave him a heading and altitude to maintain; gave him an approach to expect; and asked him to report the ATIS. My Coordinator and I began to have a disagreement on the next action; so we argued a bit over it. The pilot started asking several questions about the approach; and it became clear that he was confused and not really sure what was going on. He did know approaches or runways; couldn't find the ATIS; etc. He was deviating wildly from the headings I gave him; so I started focusing on that while reading him the weather; explaining in more depth which approach to expect; and coordinating with another Controller. At that time; we started a runway change. In all the time I talked to him; I forgot to actually clear him to the airport. Again; he landed without incident.
TRACON Controller described a confused navigation event when an aircraft experienced icing and had difficulty complying with ATC clearances.