MEMBERS OF THE TECHNICAL PANEL

George Anderson
Aerospace Engineer, Aircraft Accident Investigator

 2 years with the Safety Board.

Experience
Senior mechanical test engineer, Computer Devices International. Test engineer, MascoTech, Inc. Staff engineer, United Airlines, Inc. Corporate marketing manager, TRACOR Aerospace Advanced Systems Operation. US Air Force: service engineer - aircraft design and overhaul, aircraft performance engineer, human factors engineer, development engineer GAU-8 30mm Cannon, flight test engineer, transport pilot, instructor pilot, flight examiner, aircraft experience: C5A, C-141, C-130, C-118, C-47, C-12, and T-39; 6000 hours flying time.

Education
B.S. in Physics and Electrical Engineering from the US Air Force Academy.
M.S. in Aero/Mechanical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology.
Engineering Management at Naval Post Graduate School.
USAF Aircraft Accident Investigation School at University of Southern California. 

14 years with the Safety Board.

Experience
Dr. Merritt Birky has participated in the investigation of some of the nation's major aviation accidents, including the downing of Pan Am 103, the space shuttle Challenger, the U.S. Air Force Titan 34 D, and the 1996 ValuJet crash in the Everglades. Dr. Birky has also participated in the investigation of major railroad, pipeline, and marine accidents, including the grounding of the Exxon Valdez in Alaska in 1989. Prior to joining the Safety Board, Dr. Birky worked for more than 20 years at the National Bureau of Standards and then served as Director of Research at the Foundation for Fire Safety.

Education
Bachelors degree (1958) from Goshen College and Doctorate (1961) from the University of Virginia. Dr. Birky attended N.I.H. Graduate School in Toxicology from 1971 to 1972, and was Adjunct Professor at the University of Utah from 1972 to 1976.

11 years with the Safety Board.

Experience
Dr. Brenner conducted human performance research under contracts to NASA-Ames Research Center and USAF-Armstrong Laboratory, and served as expert witness on human performance for Senate Judiciary Committee, Dept. of Justice, and law firms (representing both defense and plaintiff positions). He holds a private pilot license.

Education
B.A. from Boston University.
M.A. in Psychology from Stanford University.
Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Michigan.

Two years with the Safety Board.

Experience
Dr. Bower served as the Aircraft Performance Group Chairman on several major accident investigations, including the 1996 ValuJet crash in the Everglades. Prior to joining the Safety Board, Dr. Bower was employed as a Research Engineer at the Calspan/University of Buffalo Research Center (CUBRC). At CUBRC, Dr. Bower performed experimental research in hypersonic aerodynamics and heat transfer, and also instructed several engineering classes at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Dr. Bower has also worked as an Aerospace Engineer at the Air Force Wright Aeronautical Laboratories.

Education
B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo
Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, specializing in compressible fluid flow and boundary layer stability from the State University of New York at Buffalo.  

16 years with the Safety Board.

Experience
Mr. Clark has extensive experience with general aviation crashworthiness investigation and airplane performance investigations. He previously worked worked on airplane simulator design with Flight Safety International, and spent 13 years at Beech
Aircraft Corporation working on target drone design/simulation and flight test, airplane accident investigations, and general aviation crashworthiness investigations.

Education
B.S. Aeronautical Engineering - Wichita State University 1970 

Two years with the Safety Board.

Experience
Mr. Crider previously spent 10 1/2 years working at McDonnell Douglas, and 5 years with Beech Aircraft Corporation.

Education
B.S. in Aerospace and Ocean Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
California State University, Long Beach, Programming & Problem Solving I, Digital Logic Design, Discrete Structures with Computer Science Applications, and Computer Organization and Assembly Language Programming.

21 years with the Safety Board.
Seven years in the Office of Aviation Safety, Major Accident Investigations Division.

Experience
Mr. Dickinson has served as IIC in over 200 aircraft accidents and as an U.S. Accredited Representative for over 100 foreign aviation accidents/incidents. He was previously a computer programmer for USF&G, and has been a member of the Army Reserves and National Guard for over 20 years. Mr. Dickinson holds a commercial pilot's license, and has logged over 5,000 hours flight time in both airplanes and rotary wing aircraft.

Education
Aerospace Engineering from University of Southern California
Business Administration from Norwich University

11 years with the Safety Board.

Experience
Ms. Eckrote assisted the Maintenance Group Chairman for Valujet Flight 597, Atlanta, Georgia; and Valujet Flight 592, Miami, Florida. She holds a commercial pilot license with the following ratings: Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Instrument rating, Powerplant Certificate.

Education
B.S. in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

One year with the Safety Board.

Experience
Dr. Garber served as a Flight Surgeon and a Chief of Aeromedical Services in the U.S. Air Force from 1988 to 1994, participating in numerous Air Force aircraft mishap investigations. He completed active duty service at the rank of Major. Dr. Garber holds a private pilot license.

Education
B.A. (1982, Magna Cum Laude) from Duke University with a major in Psychology/Sociology.
M.D. (1987) from the Emory University School of Medicine.
M.P.H. (1991) from the Harvard University School of Public Health with a concentration in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
M.S.M.E. (1996) from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a concentration in Bioengineering.
Completed Aerospace Medicine Residency at the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine in 1992.
Board Certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine. Designated as an FAA Aviation Medical Examiner.

14 years with the Safety Board.

Experience
Served as an airworthiness investigator, an Investigator-in-Charge (IIC) of domestic aviation accidents, and as the U.S. Accredited Representative for foreign aviation accidents, and deputy chief of the Major Investigations Division. He is the IIC for the investigation of the USAir flight 427 accident and was the U.S. Accredited representative on the accident involving a COPA Airlines Boeing 737 that crashed in Panama killing 47 persons. He was the IIC on the accident involving an Atlantic Southeast Airlines Embraer 120 at Brunswick, GA that claimed the life of Senator John Tower and for the midair collision at Philadelphia that claimed the life of Senator Heinz. Prior to joining the Safety Board, he was the deputy manager/program manager of a research and development group for a large engineering and professional services corporation. Additional experience includes development and assessment of composite material structures, airframe design and testing, gas turbine engine design, and assessments of emerging technologies.

Education
M.B.A. in Operations Research and International Business from George Mason University
B.S. in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Purdue University.
Hold Commercial Pilot License with Instrument Rating

9 years with the Safety Board.

Experience
Participated on-scene in over 40 major accident investigations and 2 commercial aircraft bombing investigations. Worked in private industry as an analyst for aircraft and missile systems.

Education
B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Virginia Tech.

20 years with the the Safety Board.

Experience
Mr. Jackson was most recently the project engineer for the large reconstruction of TWA 800. Prior to coming to work for the Safety Board he worked for 5 years in bridge design and traffic safety with the District of Columbia. He has been a member of ITE since 1975 and is a licensed professional engineer in the State of Virginia. Most recently Mr. Jackson was honored by GEICO with the 1995 Public Service Award for Traffic Safety and Accident Prevention.

Education
B.S. in Civil & Environmental Engineering from Clarkson College of Technology; M.S. in Urban Systems & Transportation Planning from the University of Maryland.

7 years with the Safety Board.

Experience
Mr. Pereira has served as Group Chairman on numerous major aviation, rail, and marine accident investigations. During his undergraduate study, he worked for 2 years at Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, focusing primarily on the G-IV Flight Test program and Stability and Control group projects.

Education
B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (1989) with a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering. Current study towards M.S. in Air Science at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

12 years with the Safety Board.

Experience
15 years in law enforcement as a criminal investigator, academy instructor, and accident investigator.
Holds Private Pilot License.

Education
Law Enforcement, University of Maryland
Aviation Human Factors, University of Southern California

9 years with the Safety Board.

Experience
ValuJet DC-9, Miami, Florida - Systems Group Chairman Ron Brown USAF Flight, Croatia - Assisted USAF with examining radios
American Airlines B-757, near Buga, Colombia - Accredited Rep. for Systems
American Eagle ATR , Roselawn, Indiana. - Systems Group Chairman
Kaman Aerospace Prototype Helicopter Production Manager, QE Supervisor, and
Senior Liaison Engineer
Hughes Helicopters AH-64 Liaison Engineer
Commercial Diver
Lockheed L-1011 Field Service Representative
Airframe & Powerplant Mechanic

Education
Bachelor in Industrial Education from University of Maryland
Aerospace Engineering Equivalency from US Office of Personnel Management

Four months with the Safety Board.

Experience
Served as an aviation psychologist at the Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory (NAMRL). Conducted several laboratory and in-flight human factors investigations within the aerospace field. Awarded the Navy Commendation Medal for his research on human factors safety issues during extended flight operations. Assistant professor of psychology at the University of North Florida (UNF) where he conducted research on human factors accident investigation and served as a consultant to naval aviation accident investigators. Former member of the Department of Defense Human Factors Technical Advisory Group and the Scientific Review Board of the Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory. A board certified ergonomist and an active member in the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, the Association of Aviation Psychologists, the American College of Forensic Examiners, and the American Psychological Association. Currently serves as the aviation psychologist for the Naval Safety Center Reserve Unit in Norfolk, VA, in addition to working for the NTSB.

Education
Ph.D. in experimental psychology from Texas Christian University (TCU). Postdoctoral training in aviation psychology from the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute (NAMI).

11years with the Safety Board.

Experience
U.S. Navy - 7 years active, 13 years reserve. Flew attack, transport and helicopter.
Airlines - 15 years flew B-707, B-727, and DC-8.
Ratings - Airline transport pilot, Flight engineer-turbo jet
Experience - 19,000 + flight time. Experienced in B-707, B-727, DC-8. Trained in B-757/767, B-737, B-777.

Education
Bachelors aviation physiology, Masters human resources.

22 years with the Safety Board.

Experience
Aloha 737 Structures Group Chairman, 1988
Assisted UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch on Pan Am 103 Boeing 747 bombing, Lockerbie, Scotland, 1988 - 1989
United Boeing 747 Cargo loss, Honolulu, 1989
Sioux City United DC-10 Metallurgical Group Chairman (Separated fan disk), 1989

Education
B.S. degree in Metallurgical Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.