Incident Overview
On an unspecified date, aircraft N6586J, operating under visual flight rules (VFR), encountered adverse weather conditions and began circling a hay field to prepare for an emergency landing. The pilot made a distress call on the emergency frequency 121.5 MHz.
Communications and ATC Actions
Monarch Flight 58, a Boeing 757, heard the pilot's call and offered assistance. Albany Approach Control responded on the same frequency, and Flight 58 relayed information between the controller and N6586J. The controller provided information about a 3,700-foot mountain peak in the vicinity, but Flight 58 did not relay the terrain elevation to N6586J, nor did the controller note this error.
Boston ARTCC established radar contact with N6586J and began relaying vectors. However, the controller believed the pilot was providing his own terrain separation because he was VFR. Consequently, the controller issued a vector below the minimum vectoring altitude (MVA), which was 4,000 feet or above. The pilot subsequently encountered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) and reported descending to 2,500 feet to "try to get out of the clouds." Shortly thereafter, the aircraft crashed on Mt. Fitch.
Investigation Findings
The ATC handbook at the time allowed vectoring of VFR aircraft below the MVA with no warning of terrain. The involved controllers did not adhere to emergency procedures outlined in the handbook. Supervisors took no action to correct the situation. Additionally, the controllers lacked training in handling emergencies concerning VFR pilots that encounter weather below the MVA.