AIAA Distinguished Lecturer
John Purvis

Accidents Happen:
Behind the Headlines -- Inside the Process
of Airplane Accident Investigation

On March 6th, the University of Arizona AIAA Student Branch will be hosting AIAA Distinguished Lecturer John Purvis. At 7:30pm Mr. Purvis will give his presentation entitled, "Accidents Happen: Behind the Headlines - Inside the Process of Airplane Accident Investigation". Meet us in the courtyard of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Building at 7:00 for pizza and other assorted refreshments!

• Date: March 6th, 2008
• Location: University of Arizona
  Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Building
  NE Corner of Speedway & Mountain
  Room S202
  *Free Parking After 5 on the East side of the Building
• Refreshments: 7:00pm - 7:30pm
• Lecture: 7:30pm

Biography:

John Purvis is an internationally recognized expert in large aircraft safety and accident investigation. From 1982 through 1998, he led the accident investigation team at Boeing Commercial Airplane Group. He retired at the end of 1998, following a 43-year career with Boeing. Subsequently he and business partner Kevin Darcy established a successful aviation safety consulting business, Safety Services International (www.safeserv.com). During his tenure, the Boeing fleet experienced approximately 2,500 events, more than 250 of which were classified as accidents involving hull losses, fatalities, or major damage. His role in coordinating the implementation of safety recommendations with Boeing's design, maintenance, and operations engineers has made a vital contribution to the safety of the world's fleet and to the flying public.

In addition to his safety management and accident investigation skills, John is a technical specialist in the fields of mechanical and fluid systems, including hydraulics, landing gear, and flight controls. He is a graduate of the University of Washington with degrees in mechanical and industrial engineering. He is a registered professional engineer and a private pilot; he also holds a certificate in aviation accident investigation from the Southern California Safety Institute (SCSI). In 2001, the International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI) presented him with the prestigious Jerome F. Lederer award for outstanding contributions to technical excellence in accident investigation. In 2003 he became an ISASI Fellow.

He is in his third year as an AIAA Distinguished Lecturer. John's views are widely sought. He has spoken at government and industry safety meetings throughout the world and has served as panelist and speaker at many industry meetings and conferences as well as authoring numerous technical papers and articles. He was on the U.S. team at ICAO/AIG '92 and '99 in Montreal. John has also taught Accident investigation courses at a number of venues, including the FAA's transportation Safety Institute, Canada's facility at Cornwall, SCSI and for numerous customers. He has served as a panel member at ALPA's basic accident investigation class. Currently, he instructs for SCSI and is a member of their board of advisors.

Abstract: Accidents Happen: Behind the Headlines - Inside the Process of Airplane Accident Investigation

This presentation is built around the last 24 years of the speaker's 50 year career in aviation. For 17 years he was in charge of Boeing's accident investigation team and since retiring has built a successful second career as an aviation safety consultant. The presentation will take a look at the exciting field of large airplane accident investigation - the "heavy metal" of the industry - and, in particular, the role played by the manufacturer and other organizations involved in the investigation. It begins with a look back in history and then reviews the current process used to determine the probable causes after an airplane crash. Several sections are outlined to step the audience through the process from beginning to end in a simple, logical and understandable way. It discusses the respective roles of ICAO, NTSB, FAA, other governments and the parties (airline, airframe and component manufacturers, unions and others) working together toward a conclusion. By the end the audience will have an appreciation of the enormity of the accident investigation task and how it is accomplished in an organized, thorough and fair way and how the overall safety of the aviation system is enhanced in the process. The presentation is aimed toward a mixed audience and is purposely "tech-lite." It is liberally laced with accident photos verbally enhanced with "war stories" from the author's extensive career as a "tin kicker."