Flight Crew Expert Witnesses

Petaluma, California

Aviation & Aerospace, Accident Reconstruction - Aircraft Accidents, Airline, Corporate, General Aviation, Flight Crew, Business Jet Accidents, Flight Training, Aviation Safety, InFlight Emergency, Pilot Error, Maintenance Negligence, Crash Investigation, Aircraft Safety, Corporate Jet Accidents, CFIT (Controlled Flight Into Terrain), Loss of Control, Flight Attendant Accidents

Captain Bert Botta is an aviation expert witness with over 35 years of experience as an International and Domestic Airline Captain, Corporate Jet Captain, and General Aviation pilot. He is retained by plaintiff and defense counsel to analyze and opine on aviation accidents and incidents involving pilot performance, flight crew conduct, FAA regulatory compliance, and human factors. He holds an additional 10 years in private practice as a Licensed Professional Counselor, providing rare dual expertise in behavioral analysis and accident reconstruction. AREAS OF EXPERT OPINION Captain Botta is qualified to opine on matters involving: • Pilot error, pilot judgment, and aeronautical decision-making • Standard of care for airline, corporate, and general aviation operations • FAA regulatory compliance — Part 121, Part 135, and Part 91 operations • Flight crew coordination, Crew Resource Management (CRM), and interpersonal conflict • Human factors, cognitive performance, situational awaren...

Ormond Beach, Florida

Aviation & Aerospace, Human Factors - Aviation, Pilots, Flight Crew, Cabin Crew, FAA Aeromedical Certification, HIMS, Accident Investigation, Survivability, Injury Causation, Human Factors & Aerospace Safety, HSEQ, Airlines, Patient Safety, Medical Error, NTSB, Aerospace Medicine, Flight Surgeon, Occupational Medicine, Medical Device Usability, Medical Technolog

Award-winning physician-scientist, aerospace medicine specialist, and human factors expert with over 15 years of experience supporting safety, human performance, and operational resilience in aviation, aerospace, healthcare, and other high-consequence environments. Extensive expertise in accident investigation, human performance analysis, survivability, safety systems, operational risk management, and human-systems integration. Recipient of the 2024 Aerospace Medical Association John Paul Stapp Award, recognizing contributions to aerospace medicine and human performance research related to accident investigation and injuries caused by vibration, impact, and ejection forces. Professional experience includes multidisciplinary aviation accident and incident investigations involving human factors, aeromedical causation, survivability, organizational safety, and operational performance. Contributed to over 30 aviation accident and incident investigations, including major accidents, whi...