Strage del Cermis (The Cermis massacre)
It was a lovely winter’s day - 3 February 1998 - when a US Marine EA-6B Prowler cut the cable of a ski lift on the mountain of Cermis in the Italian Dolomites. The car crashed over 260 feet to the ground, killing its twenty occupants. The Prowler returned to its base at Aviano.
The squadron,VMAQ-2, was deployed at Aviano AB in north eastern Italy for Operation Deliberate Guard, covering the war on/war off situation in Bosnia. VMAQ-2 had a proud history. This was its first major mishap in over 60,000 flight hours spanning nearly fifteen years of worldwide operations. Originally known as the ‘Widowmakers’, they changed their name to ‘Playboys’, then ‘Panthers’. Now they were known as ‘Death Jesters’, a somewhat unfortunate choice of name in the circumstances.
The mission on 3rd February had nothing to do with the Balkan rumblings. It was a straightforward ‘low altitude training exercise’ through the nearby mountains. The pilot, Capt Richard J Ashby was using the call sign ‘Easy 01’ and the navigator, Capt Joseph Schweitzer was map reading. The other two crew members were just going along for the ride. They talked about ‘having fun’. Anticipating spectacular scenery, Schweitzer brought his video camera. Significantly, they had not been briefed about the low flying regulations - no flying below 2000 ft above ground level.
They flew west to Lake Garda, turning north and losing height as they flew over the lake. Soon they swung to the east and entered the Val di Fiemme leading to Cavalese, a ski resort at the foot of Mt. Cermis. A bright yellow fully loaded cable car was descending from the mountain.
The Prowler struck the 2 inch thick cables supporting the cable car, from underneath. The aircraft was flying at a speed of 540 miles per hour and at an altitude of between 260 and 360 feet. |
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The crew did not see the car falling over 260 feet to the ground crushing the occupants. Inside the wreckage were the bodies of seven Germans, five Belgians, three Italians, two Poles, two Austrians, and one Dutchman.
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While the aircraft had wing and tail damage and was leaking hydraulic fluid it was able to return to Aviano.
This screenshot from the Italian
State TV shows the damage
to the wing of the Prowler.
This screenshot from the Italian
State TV shows the damage
to the wing of the Prowler.
The adverse reaction against this event was particularly strong in Cavalese. They were still recovering from the crash on this very cable line 22 years before. The cables had become entangled and a car fell killing 43 people including 15 children. It was the deadliest cable car crash in history. And now this. Would anyone ever have confidence in the line again?
President Bill Clinton offered an immediate apology - and financial compensation. The American Ambassador to Italy visited the site and knelt in prayer. The Italians were so outraged they called the event ‘The Massacre of Cermis’. They wanted to try the four Marines but there was a clause buried in the NATO treaty that gave jurisdiction to the US.
President Bill Clinton offered an immediate apology - and financial compensation. The American Ambassador to Italy visited the site and knelt in prayer. The Italians were so outraged they called the event ‘The Massacre of Cermis’. They wanted to try the four Marines but there was a clause buried in the NATO treaty that gave jurisdiction to the US.
Initially, all four crew members were charged but only the pilot and navigator faced the court at Marine Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. Both were charged with twenty counts of involuntary manslaughter and negligent homicide
Capt Richard J Ashby Capt Joseph Schweitzer |
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In the trial it emerged that the map they were using did not show cables (it’s not clear what those arrowed lines mean - they are probably irrelevant. The red arrow indicates the site of the accident).
Ashby claimed he had known nothing about low-flying regulations. He thought they were flying at 1000 ft (though the cable was cut at 360 ft) and that his altimeter wasn’t working properly.
In the end, the jury acquitted Ashby and the charges against Schweitzer were dropped. It was a verdict that caused shock and resentment in Italy generating an upsurge of anti-American feeling.
This was in March 1999.
Ashby claimed he had known nothing about low-flying regulations. He thought they were flying at 1000 ft (though the cable was cut at 360 ft) and that his altimeter wasn’t working properly.
In the end, the jury acquitted Ashby and the charges against Schweitzer were dropped. It was a verdict that caused shock and resentment in Italy generating an upsurge of anti-American feeling.
This was in March 1999.
When it was found that Schweitzer had destroyed the videotape he took on the flight a second trial was convened. The other two crew members, Capts. Chandler P Seagraves and William Raney received testimonial immunity and elected to disclose ‘the truth about everything’.
In May 1999 Ashby and Schweitzer were charged with ‘obstruction of justice and conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentlemen’. Both were found guilty; both were dismissed from the service and Ashby received a six-month prison term. He was released after 4½ months ‘for good behaviour’.
In December 1999, the Italian Parliament approved a plan to pay compensation of $65.000 to the families of each victim. Most of the money came from the US, some from NATO.
Behind the Scenes
In March 1998 i.e. just one month after the accident, the US Marine Corps at Aviano carried out their own investigation, led by Gen. Michael DeLong and two Italian colonels. The report was kept secret. It wasn’t until 2013 that an Italian newspaper was able to get a copy, legally, and publish it. It showed that -
The squadron arrived at Aviano in August 1997, before the Italian low flying regulations were published. All squadron pilots received a copy. The letter was found, unopened, along with maps marking cables, in the cockpit of Ashby’s EA-6B. Regardless of these regulations, flying below cables was prohibited at all times.
Schweitzer planned the low-altitude flight using obsolete documents and maps.
The squadron commander, Lt Col. Muegge and his assistants did not alert Schweitzer abut the low flying regulations.
On the morning of the flight the G-meter was replaced because of a fault and the radar altimeter was checked and found to be working normally. This would have sounded an alert at 800 ft above the ground.
A flight tracing from a nearby AWACS aircraft was included in the report.
In May 1999 Ashby and Schweitzer were charged with ‘obstruction of justice and conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentlemen’. Both were found guilty; both were dismissed from the service and Ashby received a six-month prison term. He was released after 4½ months ‘for good behaviour’.
In December 1999, the Italian Parliament approved a plan to pay compensation of $65.000 to the families of each victim. Most of the money came from the US, some from NATO.
Behind the Scenes
In March 1998 i.e. just one month after the accident, the US Marine Corps at Aviano carried out their own investigation, led by Gen. Michael DeLong and two Italian colonels. The report was kept secret. It wasn’t until 2013 that an Italian newspaper was able to get a copy, legally, and publish it. It showed that -
The squadron arrived at Aviano in August 1997, before the Italian low flying regulations were published. All squadron pilots received a copy. The letter was found, unopened, along with maps marking cables, in the cockpit of Ashby’s EA-6B. Regardless of these regulations, flying below cables was prohibited at all times.
Schweitzer planned the low-altitude flight using obsolete documents and maps.
The squadron commander, Lt Col. Muegge and his assistants did not alert Schweitzer abut the low flying regulations.
On the morning of the flight the G-meter was replaced because of a fault and the radar altimeter was checked and found to be working normally. This would have sounded an alert at 800 ft above the ground.
A flight tracing from a nearby AWACS aircraft was included in the report.