Contact this Expert Witness

  • Company: Botta Aviation Expert
  • Phone: 415-320-9811
  • Cell: 415-320-9811
  • Website: www.bertbotta.com

Specialties & Experience of this Expert Witness

General Specialties:

Aviation & Aerospace and Human Factors

Keywords/Search Terms:

Aviation Crash, Airline & General Aviation, Flight Crew Error, Flight Training, Airplane Crash, Aviation Safety, InFlight Emergency, FAA, Maintenance Negligence, Crash Investigation, Aircraft Safety, Corporate Jet Accidents, Pilot Error, Controlled Flight Into Terrain, Loss of Control, Weather

Education:

MA Counseling Psychology, John F Kennedy University; BA Social Science, San Francisco State University

Years in Practice:

10

Number of Times Deposed/Testified in Last 4 Yrs:

1

Additional Information

July, 2023: "2 aircraft line up to land on the same runway and collide on final approach! 4 souls lost. FAA calls these 'wrong surface events.' The ATC system is fractured and needs fixing!" Captain Botta has 35 years of Aviation Experience as an International Airline and Corporate Jet Captain with a General Aviation background. He also has 10 years experience in Private Practice as a former Licensed Professional Counselor. • Sky West/American Airlines, passenger dry ice injury, 1/24 • Wrong-surface event, 11/22 - 3/23 • Wrongful death case, 7/22 • Other cases opined on: pilot competency, pilot incapacity, medical issues • SEAK Expert Witness Training, 2/22 • SEAK Expert Witness Directory, 12/21 Captain Botta's Specialty is: Investigating Psychological and Emotional issues that may have led up to an Aircraft Accident or Incident. • Captain Botta assesses and opines on individuals in a Corporate, Airline, or General Aviation case that may have • Involved pilot error, inter-personal conflict, stress, or other “human factor” related issues • Based on his experience as a former Licensed Professional Counselor • And as a TWA FAA Designated Check Airman • TWA/ALPA & NetJets Professional Standards Committee Chairman • Experience in Aviation Expert Cases involving Aviator Medical Issues and Aircraft Fatal Accidents • Experience with Rebuttal, Written Reports, and Deposition General Specialties: General Aviation, Flight Crew Human Factors, Pilot Judgment, Safety Culture Adherence, Pilot Behavior Analysis, Accident Analysis Education: • Master's Degree, Counseling Psychology, John F Kennedy University, Orinda, CA, 1984 • BA, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, 1964 Aviation Experience: • Airline Pilot/Captain at Trans World Airlines (TWA) 1966-1992 • FAA Designated Check Airman, TWA, 1989-1992 • TWA/ALPA Professional Standards Committee, Chairman • NetJets, Corporate Jet Pilot/Captain, 2000-2009 • NetJets/Teamsters Professional Standards Committee, Chairman • Former Licensed Professional Counselor in Private Practice, St. Louis, MO, 1989-1996 As an Aviation Expert, Captain Botta has 35 years of Aviation Experience: • General Aviation Background • A Major Airline Captain with • International, Multi-Cultural experience • Designated FAA Line Check Captain • Pilot Instructor • Captain for NetJets • Certified FAA Flight Instructor (Current 3/24) • Aircraft Simulator instructor, General Aviation, 2016-2018 As a former Licensed Professional Counselor with a private & group practice, Bert combines Aviation Expert skills with • Psychological and Emotional tools • That Provide Valuable Insights into the cause and effect of Aviation Accidents and Incidents TWA CAPTAIN: 1966-1992: 20000 hours flying experience, Captain, First Officer, Flight Engineer. DESIGNATED FAA LINE CHECK AIRMAN TWA: 1989 – 1992, MD80/DC9 SAUDI ARABIA SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT, CAD License # TA325, 1976-1977 TWA AIRLINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION TWA/ALPA (AIRLINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION) PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: 1986-1989 TWA/ALPA CHAIRMAN, FAMILY AWARENESS COMMITTEE: 1990-1992 TWA/ALPA SECOND OFFICER REPRESENTATIVE: 1973-1976 NetJets: GULFSTREAM AND CITATION JET CAPTAIN: 2000 – 2009 NetJets: PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: Teamsters Union, 2001-2005 General Aviation, Recent: Kelleher Lumber Company, 2018-2020.