Date: 201205
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Aircraft: Cessna 152
Operator: Personal
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: IFR
Flight phase: Descent
Airspace: Class E ZZZ
ATC / advisory: TRACON ZZZ
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Departure; Approach
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Human Factors
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: [I] originally started working Assist for Sector X. Controller then advised the supervisor she wanted it split because of volume and complexity. I rushed over and opened RADAR Y; took the airspace and frequencies. A C152 was on vectors north of the airport to remain clear of the airport departure corridor and was told he was on vectors to the airway. A couple minutes later he asked if he should join the airway which was not possible because he was paralleling the airway. I advised him to continue heading 100; a couple minutes later I turned him right to heading 150 descend to 5;000 and intercept the airway which he did. Once he was established on the airway; a B737 departed the airport on the SID; which will put him on a crossing path with the C152. I began coordinating an early turn leaving 6;000 for the B737 with the Departure Controller to top the C152. When my attention went back to the scope; I heard the end of someone speaking but did not comprehend what was said. I stated 'calling Approach say again' and the same person responded with something I couldn't comprehend. I slowed another B737 arriving the airport to 170 as requested by the Final Controller and switched an A320 to Final Controller at the neighboring airport. I then went back to the aircraft that I couldn't understand and caught him saying that 'we are diverting and request vectors' to what I thought was another Sectors airport. Since a nearby airport was holding aircraft earlier over the VOR; I thought an aircraft had gone missed approach and was requesting vectors to a divert airport. I asked the aircraft if he was over the holding airport; to which I got a response that I could not understand; asked the aircraft to say position; same result. I then advised the aircraft to contact Approach on another frequency thinking that this aircraft was lost. Once the aircraft left the frequency; and I had a second to think; I realized that the aircraft was my own aircraft; I immediately called the other Sector and asked them to switch that guy back to me; they did; and advised that he was having engine troubles. Once he returned to my frequency I began vectoring the C152 to the Class C Airport. He reported seeing the Class C Airport out of about 3;200 but the Class C Airport was reporting OVC012. I asked him to verify that he did in fact see the Class C Airport; once again he did say that he had the Class C Airport in sight. I instructed him to proceed direct to the Class C Airport. He then started a turn to the north away from the Class C Airport towards the wrong airport. I asked if he had the other airport in sight and he realized that he was looking at the wrong airport; he asked if he could land at the other airport; I was not sure if the runways were occupied or not so I turned and asked the supervisor and no one had a definite answer. I then issued additional vectors to the Class C Airport and continued to issue clock positions and distances to the Class C Airport. When the C152 was about 5 miles from the Class C Airport I asked if he had turned on his carb heat; he responded with 'yes'; it is on. Out of about 1;200 the C152 reported the Class C Airport in sight and I cleared him to land any runway. After the incident I reviewed the tapes and play back; I remember the coordination between myself and the adjacent Departure Controller; which was why I missed the initial calls from the C152. The C152 called and stated 'engine failure; engine failure' and I didn't hear it. During the event; I was not able to comprehend the majority of the C152's transmissions. After hearing the tapes he sounds clear enough to understand; I don't know if that was because of noise in the area; and I had a hard time hearing over the background noise.




Synopsis: TRACON Controller described the handling of an emergency aircraft noting a number of less than clear and missed communications by the aircraft in question.