Mark,
There was no "military accident report" in the case of the Italian gondola/
EA-6B accident near Cavalese, Itay in 1998, only a JAG investigation. I know
because I was the aircraft accident investigator working for the
defense team in that case. I studied the aircraft mission computer data that
reported altitude, airspeed, position as well as many other parameters. I
interviewed all crewmembers as well as many eyewitnesses and
squadron aircrew. Although the prosecution portrayed the crew as
rogue cowboys and the media picked up on that theme and played it very heavily,
there was no physical evidence of that at all. ECMO 3 did not know the rest of
the crew-- he was a relief crew from a sister squadron that was in theater a
week early and got this "good deal flight". Some Italian eyewitnesses were
pressured by events to give statements and clearly were not in places where they
could have seen the aircraft. Others claimed the aircraft was clipping
rooftops over 50 miles from the accident scene when the aircraft data showed it
to be over 1000' AGL at those points. The gondola support cable was struck
within the lateral confines of the authorized low altitude training route.
Unfortunatley, that cable was not depicted on DOD TPC charts used by tactical
aircrew. I interviewed the NIMA person responsible for the TPC charts covering
Italy and asked her why the cable was not on the chart-- she said she was too
busy for that stuff.
The prosecution vilified the crew for performing a legitimate tactical
maneuver on a training mission, a ridge roll. Weeks after the accident, Italian
Air Force officials could not agree between themwselves what the speed and
altitude restricitons for the route were. Changes to the route were on file with
the permanent Air Force contigent at Aviano, but that information had not been
passed over to the Marine squadrons TAD there for the Bosnia operations.
Something else you did not hear in the press. The Marine squadron CO flew the
same route days earlier at speeds and altitudes consistent with the accident cew
and did not know there was a speed restriction of 450 knots (as I recall). The
data from the aircraft did not support the prosecution's allegations and the
pilot and ECMO 1 were acquitted on all principal charges. Charges against ECMO 2
and 3 were dropped-- never mind the fact that you cannot see forward from the
rear seat positions. The jury of their peers consisted of eight members (again,
as I recall) and they only needed five to convict and send them to prison for
life. Three members were aviators. Try to find that kind of jury elsewhere in
America on an aviation case-- good luck.
It was no coincidence that the Italian Prime Minister was visiting
Washington , DC and Bill Clinton when the verdict was announced. Pressure to
convict these guys from the White Hous on down was obvious.
This accident was a tremendous tragedy but was not the result of "rogue
behaviour" as was portrayed by the press.
Regards,
Jeff Edwards