Drop Testing
RTI’s Drop Testing laboratory was able to predict what, if any, injuries can occur from unmanned aerial vehicles falling on bystanders.
Documenting Accident Sites
RTI was on scene working with NTSB to document the crash site with the use of drones. The photos and videos became critical to identifying the multiple impact points in tall grass.
747 Crash Footage Analysis
In April 2013, a civilian-operated Boeing 747-400 crashed after taking off from Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. The NTSB concluded that the cargo, five armored vehicles weighing over 80 tons total, shifted during take-off to the rear causing a massive imbalance to the aircraft's center of gravity. The aircraft, unable to gain altitude, stalled and impacted the ground in a fiery explosion.
SwissAir Flight 111
On September 2, 1998, a fire occurred one hour into the New York to Zurich flight, leading to an attempt to land at Halifax, without success. All souls were lost when the MD-11 plunged into the ocean off the shore of Peggy’s Cove.
A team of RTI aviation safety and fire specialists were instructed by the supplier of the In-Flight Entertainment System and worked with the Canadian TSB team through its investigation to the final official report.
American Eagle Flight 4184
Flight 4184 lost control on October 31, 1994, due to an icing condition, which caused a sudden and unexpected aileron hinge movement reversal. The aircraft had been in a holding pattern near Chicago and upon descent to an approach altitude, the initial roll excursion occurred.
RTI was asked to analyze the cause of the upset and to create a flight path reconstruction using radar, DFDR and CVR data.
Air France Flight 447
In June 2009, Air France Flight 447 stalled and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. The BEA’s final report stated faulty readings by the pitot tubes, likely due to ice forming over the nose, blocked the airspeed measurements needed for the autopilot to function properly. As the aircraft was not found for months, ACARS data was analyzed for causal information.
Assisting the manufacturer of the pitot tubes, RTI provided a thorough analysis to establish the effect of icing and/or turbulence had on the operational performance and related airspeed systems.
