Black Hills Aviation v United States

wreckage

On September 10, 1987, a civilian aircraft crashed on the White Sands Missile Test Site in the mountainous Red Rio/Oscura area of New Mexico. The aircraft referred to as Tanker 07, owned by Black Hills Aviation, crashed while performing a contract air fire suppression support mission on the missile base. This area was also the testing site for the evaluation of the Army’s Line of Sight Forward Heavy Missile phase of the Forward Area Air Defense System [FAADS Project].

Aviation

RTI’s experts have investigated accidents, losses, and technical issues in a variety of aviation matters for manufacturers, operators, and government authorities. They have also served as expert witnesses for law firms and insurance companies.

Marine

Marine losses are among the most varied from ship sinking to deck equipment failures. They often require a wide range of expertise available at RTI, from master mariners to marine engineers and naval architects.

Metallurgical Science & Engineering

The engineers in RTI’s metallurgical laboratory perform various types of microstructure and macrostructure examinations, corrosion analysis and microhardness testing. They can evaluate defects, determine structural features, identify alloys, evaluate the effects of heat treatments, and ensure materials conform to required specifications. Root cause failure analysis services are also provided when performance issues occur with metal products.

002161 Flight Data Specialist

Flight Data Specialist

Summary

He is a retired captain with over 40 years aviation experience. He flew the B747-100/200 and -400
He initially set up the SESMA programme that looked at exceedances during a normal flight. This programme was the first proactive safety tool in aviation.
He is considered an expert and still actively consults to several leading airlines in flight data recording and monitoring.

011133 Aircraft Accident Investigator and Aircraft Maintenance Specialist

Aircraft Accident Investigator and Aircraft Maintenance Specialist

Summary

He has extensive knowledge and experience as an aircraft accident investigator and aircraft maintenance specialist.  He has over twenty-five years experience in commercial aviation and has completed certification in both aircraft accident investigation and aircraft appraisals.  He continues to hold his Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) License.  While at The Southern California Safety Institute, He completed courses in aircraft accident investigation, human factors for accident investigations, flight data analysis, gas turbine accident investigation, investigation management, blood borne pathogen exposure (biohazard risk associated with aircraft accident investigation).

011221 Aviation Operations and Safety Management

Aviation Operations and Safety Management


Summary

He has over thirty-three years of experience in airline operations and safety management.  His professional expertise consists of extensive flight operations and successful implementation of ASAP, SMS, IOSA and QMS programs.  He has held the positions of Regional Director of Flying, Chief Pilot and Senior Check Airman. As an aviator, he was most recently captain qualified on the DC-9 / MD-80, Airbus A-320, A-330, and B767/757.  During 18 of those years, He held various positions involving Check Airman responsibilities. His operational experience is in the International, Caribbean and European theatres and has over 13,000 ATP hours.

011175 Air Safety Investigator and Accident Prevention and Preparedness Specialist

Air Safety Investigator and Accident Prevention and Preparedness Specialist


Summary

He is a specialist in international aviation accident/incident investigation management, accident prevention, and major accident preparedness.  He has over 40 years experience in aviation safety. He has taught aircraft accident/incident investigation, investigation management, and international investigation procedures and has prepared investigation policy and procedures manuals.  In addition, he has conducted audits of organizations’ abilities to meet existing international standards and best practices for government agencies around the world, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), aviation industry organizations, and law firms.  He has also donated time teaching accident investigation and prevention on behalf of the International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI).

He managed the aviation accident/incident investigation program for Canada as part of a US-Canada government exchange program.  He has presented numerous technical papers at international seminars on the subjects of human factors in transportation accidents and major aviation accident investigation management and taught aviation accident investigation and prevention management, policies, and procedures in the U.S. and overseas, including for the NTSB school from 1982 to 1998.

011241 Aircraft Accident Reconstruction

Aircraft Accident Reconstruction


Summary

He is a retired National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) senior air safety investigator and supervisory air safety investigator.  Concurrent with multiple administrative duties, he also conducted several hundred general aviation fixed and rotary wing aircraft and FAR 135 and FAR 121 air carrier accident and incident investigations; as well as extensive work on a wide range of aircraft accidents, including TWA 800, Alaska 261, USAir 427. 

While at the Federal Aviation Administrative (FAA), he conducted certification of airmen, including commercial pilot and certificated flight instructor certification, instrument ratings, airline transport pilot certification, and type rating of pilots in Learjet, Dassault Falcon 50 and Swearingen Metroliner.  He conducted initial and recurrent FAR 135 pilot certification, reviewed and approved FAR 135 operations manuals and FAR 141 flight school syllabuses.  He also conducted initial certification of FAR 135 operations and FAR 141 certificated flight schools and provided surveillance and inspection of FAR 141 flight schools and FAR 135 air carrier operations, including Learjet and Falcon 50 operators.  He investigated aircraft accidents delegated by the NTSB as IIC (investigator in charge), and assisted on other investigations as FAA IIC. 

Earlier in his career, he owned and operated a general aviation fixed base operation with 12 aircraft, including two pressurized multi-engine airplanes.  Operations included single-and multi-engine FAR air carrier operations, FAR 61 instrument, single and multi-engine-flight training, FAA Repair Station, and aircraft refinishing facility.  He functioned at various times as president, director of operations, and director of maintenance.  He also functioned as an assistant chief pilot for a larger FAR 135 operator, and at one time as an assistant chief pilot of a FAR 141 flight school. 

He also has approximately 8,500 hours flight time, including in excess of 5,000 hours multi-engine, and in excess of 1,500 hours of dual instruction given.

011246 Helicopter Operations and Maintenance

Helicopter Operations and Maintenance

He is a highly experienced helicopter pilot and maintenance officer.  He has gained a wide range of experience during his distinguished career as a US Army and US Coast Guard officer and pilot.  He has served as a helicopter aircraft commander, instructor pilot and pilot examiner and has developed and managed operations and training programs.  As a civilian, he has managed and conducted NASA technical research, test and evaluation programs.