Jet’s Altimeter Stuck in Tests, Expert Testifies

The radar altimeter from a Marine jet that struck an Italian ski gondola cable, killing 20 people, malfunctioned in tests after the accident, an expert testified Tuesday.

The altimeter, which uses a radar signal bounced between the plane and the ground to indicate its altitude, stuck at a reading of 650 feet when it should have read 500 feet in a test, said Robert Fitzgerald, an instrument expert from the Naval Aviation Depot in Jacksonville, Fla.

When the setting was changed to zero, the altimeter still showed 650 feet, he said.

“The needle’s circuitry was not working,” Fitzgerald said.

Lawyers for Capt. Richard Ashby, the pilot of the EA-6B Prowler, contend his radar altimeter was malfunctioning.

Ashby, 31, of Mission Viejo, is charged with 20 counts of involuntary manslaughter and could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted.

Prosecutors said Ashby flew too low and too fast and broke flight rules. The gondola cable was between 360 and 370 feet from the ground.

On cross-examination by defense attorney Maj. William Webber, Fitzgerald said Ashby filed a complaint that the jet’s altimeter was sticking.

Earlier in the day, John Seereiter, a Defense Department employee, offered testimony about tests on an instrument called a transponder, which signals to the air control tower the plane’s identification, speed and altitude.

Under questioning by a prosecutor, Seereiter said the transponder was more than likely working properly during the flight but did not respond well to tests.