Date: 202103
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: SLC.Airport, UT
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Small Aircraft
Operator: Personal
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Personal
Flight phase: Descent
Airspace: Class B S56
ATC / advisory: TRACON S56
Aircraft component: Autopilot
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Approach
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Confusion; Workload
Second reporter function: Single Pilot; Pilot Flying
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Regained Aircraft Control; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Airspace Structure; Chart Or Publication; Human Factors; Procedure; Software and Automation
Primary problem: Software and Automation

Narrative: Aircraft X was on an LDA Approach. I had not cleared them for the approach because I was trying to descend the aircraft for the Visual Approach. Just leaving 9;000 feet; the aircraft took a hard left turn. I keyed up and turned them to a 010 heading to which they stated they were having autopilot problems. The aircraft started descending below 8000 feet. I issued a Low Altitude alert. Shortly after; the aircraft took another hard left turn. I did not reissue a low altitude alert but restated altitude and heading with immediately. Because of this; I broke the aircraft following him off the approach and re-sequenced him. Aircraft X landed without further incident.I'm not sure what else to do in this situation. Pilots need to learn to fly without their autopilot. Everyone is way too reliant on technology and need to get back to the basics.


Second narrative: While transitioning from the RNAV arrival to the LDA Approach; my autopilot malfunctioned and caused the airplane to deviate from the approach. I was below the cloud bases and in VMC. I attempted to fly the airplane without the autopilot and regain the appropriate heading and altitude; while troubleshooting the autopilot issue. I was given a vector and an altitude by the approach controller and I did not maintain that altitude during the trouble shooting efforts. I went below 8;000 feet which is below the minimum vectoring altitude in that area.My fixation on troubleshooting the autopilot and not devoting full attention to flying the airplane caused this issue. The fact that I was in VMC further added to my lack of focus; as I was clearly able to see and avoid any terrain in the area. Focusing solely on the task of flying the airplane would have prevented this issue from occurring.


Synopsis: GA pilot and TRACON Controller reported the pilot flying a LDA Approach to SLC airport deviated from their course and altitude and flew below the Minimum Vectoring Altitude.