TRACON and Tower Controllers reported confusion of aircraft assigned altitude on a through IFR clearance and automation status resulted in altitude below the MVA and a CFTT event.
Synopsis
TRACON and Tower Controllers reported confusion of aircraft assigned altitude on a through IFR clearance and automation status resulted in altitude below the MVA and a CFTT event.
Narrative
I was working Local Control (LC) and GC combined as a On-the-job Training Instructor (OJTI) with training in progress. Previous in this session or a prior session when Aircraft X was inbound; some coordination was given verbally to the trainee and myself from the Ground Controller that they had a through clearance and that a hold message was being put in for this aircraft for when they departed. When Aircraft X called for clearance and taxi for departure we did not have a flight progress strip with any information about the flight plan or clearance for this aircraft. We understood that the aircraft was already IFR and had their clearance from previous coordination. We taxied the aircraft out for departure verified they had their clearance; to which they affirmed. We full routed the flight progress to assure the flight plan was still active as we had not seen a hold message come through the Flight Data Input/Output (FDIO) for the aircraft during their inbound. Runway heading was assigned as is typically done with IFR aircraft and a rolling call was initiated with the understanding that the Approach Controller had the flight progress strip information and hold message information from the previous coordination done with GC prior to us. We could have reissue a clearance that had already be given including the altitude to climb to; or assign the altitude again on LC for the departing aircraft. This; however; would not help the scan of the Departure Controller monitoring altitudes; climb rate; etc.
Second reporter narrative
Aircraft X was on a long 'round robin' from ZZZ1 to ZZZ2 to ZZZ to ZZZ1 with a long stop over in ZZZ. Aircraft departed and leveled off at 8000. I noticed the aircraft at 8000 but the level off didn't really get noticed. I had coordinated with ZZZ1 Approach a couple of times; they wanted to know when the aircraft would arrive so I had put a *t on Aircraft X and left it. The t line became the focus and I did not see the aircraft fly into the 9000MVA. I anticipated having to put the aircraft on VXX. I think the pilot had drifted over towards the interstate and thus the canyon despite being cleared direct to ZZZ1. VFR aircraft routinely fly through the canyon between ZZZ1 and ZZZ. It was a clear VFR late spring day with low temperatures (70s). I went back to the Tracon computer to check the schedule and got a call from the Supervisor (SUP) in the Tower asking if Aircraft X was going to 'make that mva' but Aircraft X had already been in the 9000 mva for almost 3NM. I turned the aircraft to a 300 heading since it was the quickest way to a lower MVA and told the pilot to climb and maintain 10000. The pilot asked if they could fly at a lower altitude and I told him he needed to be at 10000. I asked the pilot if he could maintain his own terrain and obstruction avoidance until reaching 10000 and he replied yes and I instructed him to do so. The SUP was calling me on the phone while I was doing this; when I was done with the pilot i answered the phone and the SUP asked if I gave a low altitude alert; I said no I already turned him and said vector for mva. Sup said I should give it anyway so I gave a half-ass alert since it seemed stupid to do so after it was resolved. I then suggested to the pilot that they could proceed VFR on top if they wanted that clearance instead of 10000; the pilot double clicked that so no on top clearance (OTP) was given. I plotted the flight and used google earth. The highest terrain the aircraft flew over in the 9000 mva was 5;854 Recommendation: Have the system recognize an aircraft is lower than they need to be
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.