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An internationally recognized expert in large aircraft accident investigations. He retired from The Boeing Company following a forty-plus year career.  While at Boeing he led the investigative team at Boeing Commercial Airplanes.  During that time he not only managed the team of investigators and directed their participation in major accidents and incidents, he also undertook investigations as Boeing’s prime investigator on many events.

During that time the Boeing fleet experienced approximately 2,500 events, more than 250 of which were classified as accidents involving hull losses, fatalities or major damage.  He regularly represented Boeing at government agency public hearings.  He also served as the primary link between accident causes and recommendations and Boeing engineers involved in design, maintenance and operation.

Served as the company’s liaison with its outside counsel on accident investigation matters.  In this position he provided depositions, fulfilled requests for production of documents and answered interrogatories.

 

His Boeing experience included many other areas of safety such as reviewing service bulletins, serving on the editorial board of the company’s technical quarterly publication to customers and general safety liaison within the company.  His areas of technical expertise include hydraulics, landing gear, and flight controls.

Also served as Boeing’s interface with safety and regulatory agencies and has been a popular speaker on safety issues to a wide variety of audiences.

As a founding partner of Safety Services International (SSI) in 1999 and aviation safety consultant, he was the lead investigative expert to provide top-of-the-line safety consulting services to the world’s aviation and maritime industry and government. SSI was acquired by RTI Group, LLC in 2010.

Academic Background

  • BS Industrial Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle
  • BS Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle
  • Senior Management Seminars, Boeing
  • Certificate in Aircraft Accident Investigation, Southern California Safety Institute

 

Registration

  • Registered Professional Engineer, Mechanical: Washington State
  • Licensed Pilot, SEL

 

Professional Experience

RTI Group, LLC, Annapolis, MD.  Large Aircraft Accident Reconstruction and Investigation Management Consultant, 2010 – present.

Safety Services International (SSI), aviation safety consultant and founding partner in the firm.  SSI was an aviation and maritime safety consulting firm formed in 1999 to provide top-of-the-line safety consulting services to the world’s aviation and maritime industry and government.  SSI was acquired in 2010 by RTI Group, LLC.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes:

  • Manager, Chief Engineer and Director, Air Safety Investigation, 1982-1998
  • ­   Manager, Airline Support Engineering, 1979-1982
  • ­   Operations Manager, Field Service, 1976-1979
  • ­   Field Service Base Manager, Amsterdam and London, 1970-1976
  • ­   Engineer and Lead Engineer, various Boeing commercial programs, 1959 -1970

Selected Major Accident Investigation Experience

General

  • Oversaw investigations of more than 2,500 events including approximately 250 that were classified as accidents.

NTSB Public Hearings

  • Company spokesperson for eight major U.S. accidents

On-Site Investigations

  • Air Florida 737-200, take-off, Washington DC
  • Iran Air 737-100 re-contacted ground after rotation, Tehran, Iran
  • Eastern 727-200 CFIT, near LaPaz, Bolivia
  • Japan Airlines 747 SR pressure bulkhead rupture and loss of control, Mt. Ogura, Japan
  • FAA 720 test airplane, Edwards Air Force Base
  • Buffalo Airways 707-300 crashed during approach, Kansas City, MO
  • Condor 737-200 CFIT during approach, near Izmir, Turkey
  • Delta 727-200 partial gear-up landing, Portland, OR
  • Ethiopian 737-200 crashed after multiple bird strikes, Bahar Dar, Ethiopia
  • International Airways 707-300 CFIT during approach, Santa Maria, Azores
  • Royal Australian Air Force 707-300 crashed into sea during training flight, near Sale, Australia
  • Tower Air 747-100 refused takeoff accident, New York
  • El Al 747F engine separation and crash, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  • DLH 747F refused takeoff accident, Hong Kong
  • Fawcett 737 CFIT on final approach, Arequipa, Peru
  • United 747 turbulence fatality, over the Pacific Ocean

Professional Associations and Activities

  • AIG meetings, International Civil Aviation Organization, (ICAO) Montreal, Delegate/Observer, 1992 & 1999
  • Airline Pilots Association, Panelist-Safety Training Seminars, San Diego, Washington D.C. 1993 – 1997
  • American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
  • American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
  • Aviation Insurance Association (AIA), Northwest section
  • Boeing Employees Choir, Vice President
  • International Society of Air Safety Investigators, (ISASI). Co-chairman, ISASI annual seminar, 1995, Seattle, Washington, theme: “Today’s Investigators, Tomorrow’s Trends & Technology”
  • Museum of Flight (MOF), Seattle Washington, Docent
  • Safety Study Group, Advisor, Linacre College, Oxford, UK, 1999
  • Southern California Safety Institute (SCSI), Board of Advisors
  • Sunset Acres Owners Association, Lopez, WA, President 2000-2002
  • The Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS)
  • The Society for Industrial Archeology (SIA)