Investigation Summary
The investigation into Flight 870 was hampered by the extreme depth of the wreckage (3,500 meters) and allegations of a cover-up by military and government officials, often referred to in Italy as 'un muro di gomma' (a rubber wall). Two primary theories emerged: the 'bomb theory,' supported by forensic analysis of the rear lavatory area, and the 'missile theory,' supported by radar data suggesting the presence of other aircraft in the vicinity. In 1999, Judge Rosario Priore concluded that the flight was likely caught in a combat scenario between Libyan MiGs and NATO fighters. In 2013, Italy's top criminal court ruled there was 'abundantly clear' evidence that the flight was downed by a missile, though the specific perpetrator was never legally identified.
Final Conclusions
The cause remains officially disputed between an internal explosion (bomb) and external impact (missile). However, Italian civil courts have repeatedly ordered the government to pay damages to victims' families, citing a failure to protect the aircraft from a missile strike and the subsequent obstruction of justice by military personnel.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Domenico Gatti, age 44
First Officer
Enzo Fontana, age 32
Systems & Failure Modes
Rear Lavatory
Identified by some investigators as the site of an internal explosion based on structural deformation.
Secondary Surveillance Radar
Radar plots (AJ 421) showed the aircraft's sudden disappearance and suggested the presence of other nearby targets.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a Douglas DC-9-15 manufactured in 1966 and originally delivered to Hawaiian Airlines.
- 02The wreckage was reconstructed and is now housed in the Museum for the Memory of Ustica in Bologna.
- 03Radar data showed unidentified aircraft, possibly flying with transponders off, in the vicinity of Flight 870.
- 04The Italian government was ordered by the Supreme Court of Cassation in 2013 to pay over 100 million euros in damages to the families.
- 05Former Italian Prime Minister Francesco Cossiga attributed the crash to a French missile intended for a Libyan aircraft.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Judicial Reform
The case led to significant scrutiny of the Italian military's transparency and the handling of air traffic data during sensitive military operations.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Missile vs. Bomb Theory
Reference ↗Official technical reports initially favored an onboard bomb, while judicial investigations and radar analysis strongly suggested a missile strike during a NATO-Libyan dogfight.
Allegations of Cover-up
Reference ↗Multiple Italian military officers were tried for high treason and perjury for allegedly destroying radar logs and obstructing the investigation, though most were eventually acquitted due to the statute of limitations.