Human Performance Consultant with over 30 years of experience in human performance investigation; in which 26 of those years were with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in Washington, DC. Human performance issues involved in transportation accidents include speech analysis, fatigue, operator impairment, crew coordination, cockpit design, automation, and corporate culture.
Subsequent to his retirement from the NTSB, he participated as a consultant and expert witness in investigations, such as: Technical Specialist for Spanish government agency CIAIAC on the Air Algérie MD-83 accident near Gossi, Mali; Asiana Airlines in connection with Flight 214 accident at San Francisco CA ; Independent Pilots Association in connection with UPS Flight 1354 accident at Birmingham, AL; Gulfstream Aerospace G IV accident at Hanscom Field, MA, and consultant to aircraft underwriters in the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappearance.
He has also served as an expert witness for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee (technical factors limiting speech lie detection) and U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Postal Service (prosecution of manufacturers of an alleged speech lie detector).
Academic Background
- B.A. with distinction, Boston University, Boston, MA
- M.A. Stanford University, Stanford, CA (Psychology)
- Ph.D. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (Psychology)
Professional Experience
RTI Group, LLC, Annapolis, MD. Human Performance Consultant, November 2014 to present.
Consultant/Expert Witness , 2013-2014
- Consultant to Asiana Airlines in connection with Flight 214 accident at San Francisco CA (July 2013).
- Consultant to Independent Pilots Association in connection with UPS Flight 1354 accident at Birmingham AL (August 2013).
- Consultant on mid-air collision at Hampton NY (plaintiff).
- Consultant on Gulfstream crash at Hanscom Field MA (plaintiff).
- Previously served as Expert Witness for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee (technical factors limiting speech lie detection) and U.S. Department of Justice (prosecution of manufacturers of an alleged speech lie detector)
Human Performance Investigator, National Transportation Safety Board, Washington D.C., 1986-2012:
- Human performance specialist on NTSB go-team launches, major investigations, and public hearings, including those involving large commercial aircraft, corporate aircraft and general aviation accidents, as well as marine, rail, and highway crashes.
- Served as Chief of the Human Performance Division, Office of Aviation Safety (2007-2009) and as instructor at the NTSB Training Center (“Human Performance Investigation,” “Investigating Human Fatigue,” and “Witness Interviewing”).
NTSB investigations included:
- Grounding of the Exxon Valdez oil tanker near Valdez, AK (1989)
- USAir B-737 accident at Alequippa, PA (1994)
- Valujet DC-9 accident in the Everglades (1996)
- Korean Air B-747 accident at Guam (1997)
- Egyptair flight 990 crash in the Atlantic Ocean near Newport RI (1999)
- American Airlines A300 in-flight separation of vertical stabilizer, Belle Harbor NY (2001)
- In-flight cargo fire, UPS McDonnell Douglas DC-8, Philadelphia, PA (2006)
- DeHavilland DHC accident involving former U.S. Senator Ted Stevens near Aleknagik, AK (2010)
- Crash due to fuel exhaustion of Air Methods Eurocopter AS350 helicopter on EMS flight near Mosby, MO (2011)
Honors
- NTSB National Resource Specialist—Human Performance (2001)
- Recipient of NTSB Chairman’s Award (2000)
- Recipient of NTSB Employee Peer Award (2000)
- Chapter President, International Society of Air Safety Investigators (1984-86)
- Recipient, National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Fellowship (1968-1972)
Licenses
- Private pilot license
