Date: 201910
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: SBA.Tower, CA
Aircraft: Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear
Operator: Personal
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Personal
Flight phase: Cruise
Airspace: Class E ZLA
ATC / advisory: TRACON SBA
Second aircraft: Mooney Aircraft Undifferentiated or Other Model
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Approach; Departure
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Confusion; Distraction; Workload; Situational Awareness
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Contributing factors: Procedure; Human Factors
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: Aircraft X was executing multiple practice approaches on an IFR flight plan to satellite airports in Pismo and Orcutt sectors. Orcutt was combined into Pismo sector. Traffic volume was expected to be high due to the weekend and special events at SBA and SBP. Aircraft X advised me holding complete at the previous missed approach hold and requested vectors to the localizer back course at SMX. I assigned heading 130 with the intention of vectoring to the south of SMX. After a few minutes I changed my original plan and assigned heading 120 to join a downwind north of SMX. Aircraft X shortly thereafter became a conflict with a VFR Aircraft Y departing SMX and was provided another vector to the south heading 180 to avoid traffic. Once the conflict was resolved the aircraft was returned to heading 120. At this time I was task-saturated with calls for flight following; a large number of strips printing; multiple arrivals; inappropriate and incorrect processing from ZOA Center; and a request from Aircraft X for an IFR flight plan to CMA. Eventually; a scan of my airspace reminded me of Aircraft X approaching the turn to base for the back course; however; the aircraft appeared further from the back course than I expected. I displayed the MVA map for the sector and realized the aircraft was well within a 4;900 ft. MVA level at 4;000 ft. I advised the FLM (Front Line Manager) in charge of the area and vectored the aircraft out of the MVA and toward the back course.Re-evaluate MSAW processing for Pismo and Orcutt sectors to ensure aircraft in proximity to terrain generate an appropriate warning. Increase the number of working controllers during known events; and avoid placing Controllers recently back from leave on high-volume positions. Provide a specific hand off to assist Controllers with high workload rather than open a single flight data for multiple positions.Reduce the excessive and unnecessary flight plan messages that split the attention of the Controller; and ensure that proper processing in ERAM (En Route Automation Modernization) provides appropriate flight plans. Aircraft arriving and overflights often have five or more revisions that show no actual change in the time or coordination fix; they serve no purpose; and waste both time and material while distracting the controller or obscuring important information. Additionally; many times no flight plan information is provided at all; for example: aircraft routed IFR via V25 (an airway through Pismo airspace) only generate a strip at ElCap sector; not at Pismo or Orcutt. Dealing with these automation issues is a distraction that decreases the Controller's awareness.




Synopsis: SBA TRACON Controller reported an airborne conflict with two aircraft and one of the aircraft being below the MVA.