Date: 201807
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: S56.TRACON, UT
Aircraft: Challenger 300
Flight plan: IFR
Flight phase: Initial Climb
Airspace: Class E Y
ATC / advisory: TRACON S56
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Approach
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Developmental
Human factors: Workload; Distraction; Communication Breakdown
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; 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
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Procedure

Narrative: I was working the Lake sector; and at the time of the incident was taking care of some unusual procedures; including a medevac arrival inbound through our departure gates; very close in-trail departures out a different gate; and a IFR departure off of OGD that was going to conflict with my departures. The controller at the Jordan sector called to coordinate Aircraft X off of ZZZ; on a 090 heading; 130; my control; and the controller indicated he was 'not cleared.' I was little confused for a moment because the aircraft was in a 135 MVA; but I assumed (wrongly) that the 'not cleared' must mean he was VFR; since he was below the MVA. It is common for departures off that airport to depart VFR and pick up an IFR in the air to avoid delays. The aircraft checked on heading directly into ZLC Sector 3 airspace and only a couple miles from the boundary; so I immediately turned the aircraft north to remain in S56 airspace; but I didn't have time to give him his clearance yet. At that time a supervisor came to watch me as my sector was fairly saturated. We discussed the medivac arrival; the close-in-trail departures; altitude conflicts with my OGD departure; and then focused on the Aircraft X. He then left to talk to someone else; presumably the Jordan controller. I climbed the aircraft out of the MVA to FL230 in preparation for an IFR clearance. When the supervisor returned he told me that the aircraft was already IFR; and was on vectors; but needed a clearance on course. At this time the aircraft was already above the MVA. I did not have a full strip with the destination as the route was truncated due to an ammendment; but the supervisor instructed me to clear him to the TCH VOR; J15; BOI; then as filed; and I did so. The supervisor then left. I am not sure why the Jordan controller put the aircraft on the heading or altitude that he did (I do not work that sector and have not trained on it yet); but unclear communication and confusion about the IFR/VFR status of the aircraft (which I did not have time to go back and clarify with the Jordan controller due to the unusual and busy situation in my own sector) caused a delay in my climbing the aircraft out of the MVA altitude.  In the future; when coordination is given to me that I'm not fully clear about; I will try to clarify that coordination rather than base my assumptions on common practices; even if the sector is busy.




Synopsis: S56 controller reported an aircraft was improperly coordinated off a satellite airport IFR; below the MVA.