Investigation Summary
The accident occurred during a training flight conducted by Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 2 (VMAQ-2). The crew was performing a low-level mission in a narrow valley in the Dolomites. Investigation revealed that the crew was using obsolete military maps that did not mark the cable car route. Furthermore, the pilot and navigator were unaware of, or ignored, recent Italian government directives and military regulations that prohibited flight below 2,000 feet in the region. The aircraft's radar altimeter was set to alert at 800 feet, yet the crew continued the flight at less than 400 feet without reacting to warnings. The investigation also revealed a pattern of non-compliance; the crew had received a formal warning for flying too low just days earlier, on January 24, 1998. Following the crash, the crew destroyed a videotape recorded during the flight, leading to subsequent court-martial proceedings for obstruction of justice.
Final Conclusions
The U.S. Marine Corps formal investigation report, signed in March 1998, concluded that the aircrew was flying too low and too fast, in violation of established regulations. The report placed full responsibility on the United States and recommended disciplinary action against the crew and commanding officers. While the pilot and navigator were acquitted of involuntary manslaughter in a U.S. military court, they were later found guilty of obstruction of justice and conduct unbecoming an officer for destroying evidence. Both were dismissed from the service; the pilot, Captain Ashby, was sentenced to six months in prison but was released after serving four and a half months for good behavior.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
The Cermis Massacre: No Justice for Italy — A documentary overview of the 1998 Cavalese cable car disaster, detailing the flight of the EA-6B Prowler and the subsequent legal controversy.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Systems & Failure Modes
Radar Altimeter
The device was set to alert at 800 feet; investigators determined it was functional, but the crew flew below the warning threshold regardless.
G-meter
The unit measuring gravitational forces had been replaced during maintenance on the morning of the disaster.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was flying at an altitude of 360 feet when it struck the cable, despite a 2,000-foot minimum altitude regulation.
- 02The crew destroyed a camcorder videotape of the flight after returning to base to hide incriminating evidence.
- 03The 20 victims included 19 passengers and one lift operator: 7 Germans, 5 Belgians, 3 Italians, 2 Poles, 2 Austrians, and 1 Dutch.
- 04The U.S. government paid 1.9 million USD in compensation to the families of each victim.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Low-Level Flight Restriction
Following the disaster, low-level military flight rules in Italy were revised. Low-altitude training was restricted to specific unpopulated areas with a minimum floor initially set at 250 feet, which was later raised to 500 feet.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Jurisdictional Dispute
Reference ↗Italian prosecutors sought to try the crew in Italy, but jurisdiction was granted to U.S. military courts under NATO treaties, leading to significant diplomatic tension when the crew was acquitted of manslaughter.