Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Procedure; Human Factors; Company Policy; Airspace Structure
Airline company policy prohibits pilots from doing a Visual Approach at night. Our procedure with Center is for them to cross the initial Approach Fix at 14000 feet which works great if I am able to vector the aircraft and descend them for a Visual Approach. If they need the RNAV/GPS approach they usually can't make the descent at 14000 feet causing an unstable approach and go around. Aircraft X came over the fix at 14000 feet. I vectored the aircraft to the south for descent. After I got the approach request from them I told them to expect direct to a fix when I got them lower and that they would start the approach from there. I issued a 330 heading when able direct and I asked the pilot to advise when they had the fix dialed in and were direct to the fix. The pilot advised that they were direct. I told her to cross at 8000 feet cleared for approach. I then gave the relieving controller the position briefing and I stayed for my 2 minute overlap and then stayed in the room for Controller in Charge. We were the only controllers on duty. I observed that at the fix the aircraft appeared to be turning the wrong direction. The controller and I watched and waited for a second to see if aircraft would correct it did not appear to do so and the controller issued a right turn to turn the aircraft away from the depicted obstruction. This company needs to change company policy or make it widely known. Their policy is unsafe and creates unstable approaches because they create policy and do know anything about facility Letters of Agreements or standard operating procedures and tie everyone's hands. I am not new to air traffic but what I am new to is the pilot not being able to fly the airplane. It appears to me that the aircraft is flying itself. I am not sure that all controllers at Center are aware of this company policy and therefore don't coordinate when the aircraft requests a lower altitude for the GPS approach. When I spoke to the pilot he stated that he had asked for lower and for the approach and that ZAB told him to make the request with us. I took the handoff about 8 miles from my boundary and the pilot did not check in right away and by the time I got the aircraft it was too late to clear them from the Initial Approach Fix. I usually coordinate on my night shifts prior for aircraft to be at this fix at 11000 feet for the GPS with Center but I forgot to do it this time causing this situation to become an issue. This is not the first issue that we have had but it is the first issue that I have had that caused the aircraft to have a Minimum Vectoring Altitude violation. I have given this approach clearance many times. I never expected the aircraft to pass through the fix.
TRACON Controller reported an aircraft turned off course after being cleared for approach and was below minimum terrain avoidance altitudes.