ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 185646
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| Date: | Tuesday 3 February 1998 |
| Time: | 14:13 LT |
| Type: |  Grumman EA-6B Prowler |
| Owner/operator: | VMAQ-2 USMC |
| Registration: | 163045 |
| MSN: | P-130 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Other fatalities: | 20 |
| Aircraft damage: | Minor |
| Location: | Cavalese, about 40 km NE of Trento, Dolomites Region -
 Italy
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Aviano AB, Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, Italy (AVB/LIPA) |
| Aviano AB, Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, Italy (AVB/LIPA) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
On 3 February 1998, an EA-6B Prowler, BuNo. 163045/'CY-02', call sign Easy 01, an electronic warfare aircraft belonging to Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 2 (VMAQ-2) of the United States Marine Corps, was on a low altitude training mission. At 14:13 local time it struck the cables supporting the aerial tramway-style cable car from Cavalese. The aircraft was flying at a speed of 540 miles per hour (870 km/h) and at an altitude of between 260 and 330 feet (80 and 100 m).
When reaching approximate Coordinates: 46.283733°N 11.467237°E, the aircraft's right wing struck the cables supporting the cable car. The cable was severed and 20 people in the cabin descending from Cermis plunged over 80 metres (260 ft) to their deaths. The plane had wing and tail damage but was able to return to its base, Aviano Air Base.
Italian prosecutors wanted the four Marines to stand trial in Italy, but an Italian court recognized that North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) treaties gave jurisdiction to U.S. military courts. Initially, all four men on the plane were charged, but only the pilot, Captain Richard J. Ashby, and his navigator, Captain Joseph Schweitzer, actually faced trial, charged with 20 counts of involuntary manslaughter and negligent homicide. Ashby's trial took place at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. It was determined that the maps on board did not show the cables and that the EA-6B was flying somewhat faster and considerably lower than allowed by military regulations. The restrictions in effect at the time required a minimum flying height of 2,000 feet (610 m); the pilot said he thought they were at 1,000 feet (305 m). The cable was cut at a height of 360 feet (110 m). The pilot further claimed that the height-measuring equipment on his plane had been malfunctioning, and that he had been unaware of the speed restrictions. In March 1999, the jury acquitted Ashby, outraging the European public. The manslaughter charges against Schweitzer were then dropped.
The two men were court-martialed a second time for obstruction of justice and conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman, because they had destroyed a videotape recorded from the plane on the day of the crash. The existence and destruction of this videotape only came to the attention of military investigators in August 1998, once Capt Chandler P. Seagraves received testimonial immunity and elected to disclose "the truth about everything." They were found guilty in May 1999; both were dismissed from the service and the pilot received a six-month prison term. He was released after four and a half months for good behavior. Schweitzer made a plea agreement that came to full light after the military jury deliberated upon sentencing. His agreement prevented him from serving any prison time, but it did not prevent him from receiving a dismissal.
In their appeal, Ashby and Schweitzer asked for a re-examination of their trial and for clemency, challenging their dismissals in order to be eligible for military benefits. They claimed that during the first trial the prosecutor and the defense secretly agreed to drop the involuntary manslaughter and negligent homicide charges, but to keep the obstruction of justice charge, in order to satisfy the requests coming from Italy. The appeal of Schweitzer was denied in November 2007
By February 1999 the victims' families had received USD $65,000 per victim as immediate help by the Italian government, which was reimbursed by the U.S. government. In May 1999, the U.S. Congress rejected a bill that would have set up a $40 million compensation fund for the victims. In December 1999, the Italian legislature approved a monetary compensation plan for the families ($1.9 million per victim). NATO treaties obliged the U.S. government to pay 75% of this compensation, which it did.
Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavalese_cable_car_disaster_(1998)
2. https://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/04/world/20-die-in-italy-as-us-jet-cuts-a-ski-lift-cable.html
3. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/cable-car-pilot-not-guilty-of-killings-1078442.html
4. https://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/03/us/jury-sentences-marine-in-ski-lift-incident-to-dismissal.html
5. https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/800318/united-states-v-ashby/
6. https://www.nytimes.com/1999/03/10/opinion/america-s-obligation-in-italy.html
7. http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries21.html
Images:
Correct plan and squadron
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 22-Mar-2016 01:22 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
| 22-Mar-2016 01:24 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 27-Aug-2016 16:33 | Anon. | Updated [Photo, ] |
| 27-Aug-2016 16:33 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 01-Apr-2019 07:09 | AA Cunningham | Updated [Total occupants] |
| 28-Dec-2019 16:47 | stehlik49 | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
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