Aviation & Aerospace Expert Witnesses in California
The SEAK Expert Witness Directory contains a comprehensive list of aviation & aerospace expert witnesses who testify, consult and provide litigation support on aviation & aerospace and related issues. Aviation & aerospace expert witnesses and consultants on this page may form expert opinions, draft expert witness reports, and provide expert witness testimony at deposition and trial. The issues and subjects these aviation & aerospace expert witnesses testify regarding may include: General Aviation, Aircraft Safety, Airline, Aviation, Aviation Safety, Faa, Human Factors, Manufacturing, Pilot Error, Pilot Training, 3 D Printing, Accident Reconstruction, Aeronautics, Aerospace Medicine, and After Weight Loss Surgery.
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Daniel Monlux
Aerospace Medicine Physician and Pilot
Wingman Med
San Diego, California
Aviation & Aerospace, Family Medicine
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Aerospace Medicine, Occupational Medicine, Aviation Medicine, FAA Medical Certification, FAA HIMS, FAA Medical Denial, Flight Medicine, Aviation Medical Examiner, Airplane Accident Investigation, Airplane Accident, Airplane Crash, FAA Medical Appeal, FAA Medical, Pilot Medical
Dr. Daniel Monlux is a FAA Senior HIMS AME who is board certified in Family Medicine and Aerospace Medicine. He has helped thousands to maintain their flight medicine certifications. He started his career in the U.S. Navy and has more than 2500 flight hours including combat service in the F/A-18. A commercial pilot for more than 20 years, he is also a certified flight instructor for single engine, multi-engine, and instrument flight. Dr. Monlux is also a trained aviation accident investigator having graduated of the Naval School of Aviation Safety, with a focus on pilot medical suitability. Dr. Monlux provides aviation medical consulting with Wingman Med.
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Michael R. Henderson
Legal Eagles Aviation: No Need to Look Further
Legal Eagles Aviation
Aviation & Aerospace, Engineering
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Aircraft Accident, Aircraft Incident, Aircraft Crash, Plane Crash, Aviation Safety, General Aviation, GA, Aviation, Flight, FAA, NTSB, FSDO, AOPA, Pilot Training, Flight School, Aircraft Maintenance, Crash Forensics, Aircraft Safety, Cessna, Cirrus
Legal Eagles Aviation delivers clear, defensible expert witness support for aviation-related litigation. We work directly with attorneys to break down complex technical issues into precise, courtroom-ready insights that stand up under scrutiny.
When aviation accidents occur, the outcome of your case depends on understanding what actually happened—and why. Our expertise spans aircraft systems, pilot decision-making, maintenance practices, and regulatory compliance.
We analyze events methodically, identify causal factors, and communicate findings in a way judges and juries understand.
We don’t speculate—we determine. Every conclusion is grounded in data, experience, and disciplined analysis. The result is clarity where others see confusion.
Hiring the right expert shouldn’t slow your case down. We streamline the process, reduce uncertainty, and give you a reliable technical foundation from day one.
If your case involves aviation, you don’t need multiple consultants—you need the ...
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Jamie Klopp
Transportation Design: Automotive and Aircraft
Klopp US LLC
Encinitas, California
Automotive, Aviation & Aerospace
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Automotive Design, Car Design, Aircraft Design, Product Design, Human Factors, Ergonomics, Styling, Interface, Intellectual Property, Patent, Manufacturing, Engineering, FAA, FMVSS, Interior, Exterior, Seats, Utility Patent, Design Patent, Design Process
Jamie Klopp owns and operates Klopp US LLC, an Automotive, Aircraft, and Product Design Expert Witness service. In addition to expert work, Mr. Klopp is an active design professional working in automotive and aerospace product development. Mr. Klopp holds broad design expertise with specific focus on Passenger Automotive Vehicles and Part 23 Fixed-Wing Aircraft and Part 27 Rotorcraft.
Jamie Klopp provides litigation graphics services that complement his expert witness work in automotive, aircraft, and product design. He creates 3D animations and renderings for intellectual property cases, including technology tutorials and patent disputes, as well as manufacturing processes, industrial systems, and technical subjects. His work includes visualizations of product defects, engineering failures, design processes, and human factors issues. He also produces 2D trial graphics such as diagrams illustrating design elements, patent claims, manufacturing sequences, and engineering specificati...
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Brian D. Rudin, M.D.
Brian D. Rudin, M.D., Inc.
Westlake Village, California
Spine Surgery & Spine Care, Aviation & Aerospace
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Specialist in Neck pain, Back pain, disorders of the Cervical, Thoracic, Lumbar spine, disc problems, spinal cord, dural tear, fusion, disc replacement, pedicle screws, auto accidents, aviation accidents and personal injury cases
Dr. Rudin is an actively practicing and Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon, with a fellowship in Spinal Surgery. He completed medical school and orthopedic surgery residency at the University of California at Los Angeles. Fellowship in complex spinal disorders was completed in 2005 under the direction of Dr. Rick Delamarter. He has been in private practice for 20 years. Formerly the Chief and Vice Chief of Orthopedics at a level 2 trauma center. His practice is 100% dedicated to spine care. Online reviews by patients are 5 stars. He is willing to travel both within California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and other states. (Licensed in CA, AZ, FL, NV, Hawaii, North Carolina).
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John Buch, Captain-Retired
Aviation and Flight Operations
Buch Aviation Consulting
Hermosa Beach, California
Aviation & Aerospace
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Flight Operations, Regional Airlines, Major Airlines Operations, Alaska Bush Flying, Air Taxi Operations, Film Consulting, Commuter Airlines
From teaching flying during my senior year in college to flying in Alaska as a bush pilot to being a teaching Captain at United Airlines on International routes, my flight experience is very diversified. My over 40 years of flight experience consists of all types of flying. Perhaps my greatest asset is the very diversified flight operations consisting of over 30,000 incident/accident flight hours. The only type of flying I have not performed is military flying. I have a background in teaching flying. The last 34 years of my career were at United Airlines flying domestic and international routes. I was a Line Check Airman for United checking out new hire copilots and brand new captains. I stated out my career as a bush pilot in Alaska. Please see my CV for licenses and ratings and education.
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Artemas Kit Darby, III
Professional Pilot Career Value Expert Witness
KitDarby.com Aviation Consulting, LLC
California
Aviation & Aerospace, Employment
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pilot, airline pilot, military pilot, corporate pilot, pilot divorce, pilot career, pilot selection, pilot training, pilot pay, pilot benefits, pilot retirement, pilot job, airline pilot career value, pilot career earnings, pilot wrongful termination, pilot injury, pilot death, pilot career delay
Worldwide, Mr. Darby is recognized as an expert in US pilot hiring, pilot selection, pilot supply and demand forecasting, and interview preparation including: testing, simulator evaluations, medical exams and personnel interviews. He is regularly quoted in the national media - newspapers, magazines, and on television, including The Wall Street Journal, Atlanta Journal & Constitution, New York Times, Flying Magazine, AOPA Pilot, Airline Pilot Magazine, Time Magazine, Business Week, CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC and many more.
He is the president of KitDarby.com Aviation Consulting, LLC in Peachtree City, GA. KitDarby.com provides pilot career consulting to individual pilots, flight schools, government agencies, investment firms, and both domestic and international airlines. The company also provides litigation support for pilots that are delayed, injured, or have been involved in a fatal accident to determine potential lost career values and earnings capacity.
CIVIL
ATP: S&MEL Land (B-717/27...
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Captain Ross S Sagun, ATP
40+ years as an airline pilot and safety expert
Sagun Aviation Consulting LLC
Benicia, California
Aviation & Aerospace, Human Factors
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Airline Operations, Air Traffic Control, General Aviation, Training, FAR’s, Incident Investigation, Operations, Compliance, Pilot Error, Crew Performance, Pilot Fatigue, Crew Resource Management (CRM), Situational Awareness, Turbulence Injuries, Passenger Disruptions, Navigation and Communications
Highly experienced recently retired airline pilot and aviation safety representative with more than 50 years of flight experience and approximately 30,000 domestic and international flight hours in both major airline and general aviation aircraft
Former air traffic controller, international air safety representative involved in aviation rulemaking, flight instructor, general aviation aircraft owner and operator
FAA licensed pilot since 1972
Major-airline pilot 41 years, captain for 28 years, 19 years widebody captain
Areas of expertise include Federal Air Regulations (FAR) Part 121 airline and air traffic control operational safety issues, flight operations, standard operating procedures, regulatory and flight operations manual compliance, crew performance and coordination, cockpit-related human factors issues, crew resource management, turbulence injuries, procedural compliance, aircraft limitations, navigation and communications procedures, and best practices
Extensive experienc...
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Bert Botta, ATP, CFI, MA
Aviation Expert Witness: Airline/Corporate/GenAv
Bert Botta, Aviation Expert
Petaluma, California
Aviation & Aerospace, Accident Reconstruction
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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 Botta brings over 35 years experience as an International Airline and Corporate Jet Captain grounded in a deep General Aviation Background. He also offers a unique dual perspective with 10 years in private practice as a former Licensed Professional Counselor, providing rare insight into the human factors behind aviation accidents and incidents.
AVIATION EXPERT CASE RECENCY (current as of 3/26)
• Regional Carrier CRJ900, hard braking event, resulting in passenger and Flight Attendant injuries
• Regional Carrier, passenger dry ice injury
• Wrong-surface event – ongoing investigation and expert opinion
• Whistleblower case – major jet charter operator
• Wrong-surface event
• Wrongful death case
• Pilot competency, pilot incapacity, and aeromedical issues (multiple cases opined)
• Deposed twice within the past 5 years
• SEAK Expert Witness Training completed
• Listed in SEAK Expert Witness Directory
Representative Commentary & Industry Insights
June 2025: “Wrong surface ev...
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Peter DeNucci
Aviation accident investigator discovering RCCA
Apollo Publihing, Inc.
San Diego, California
Aviation & Aerospace, Human Factors
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Aviation, Airline, Root Cause, Human Factors, Aeronautics, Unmanned Aircraft, Systems Engineering
Peter DeNucci is an accomplished US Airways Captain (ret) having logged over 18,000 hours in numerous Boeing and Airbus aircraft. Most recently he flew as Senior Principal test pilot for Northrop Grumman and the Air force with the HALE unmanned division, where he insured the Root Cause procedures were correctly implemented.
Peter is the author of several books focusing on Safety Culture and change management. These books were the foundation of airline transformations in the cockpit during the past 30 years. Captain Sullenberger (Sully) and Captain DeNucci were flying US Airway’s planes during the initiation of Human Factors and Safety Culture in 1991. While Sully was teaching in universities, Peter was teaching at US Airways and Hospitals. In fact, if you have seen Miracle on the Hudson you will see Peter’s communication procedures used with the flight crew.
Captain DeNucci has consulted and created environments for change with his five-step leadership model and the Just and Safe...
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Mingxi Zheng, MS, PE
Mechanical/Materials Failure Analysis Expert
BEAR INC.
Berkeley, California
Products Liability, Mechanical Engineering
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Risk Assessment, Failure Analysis, FMEA, Material Characterization and Testing, Material Properties, Metallurgy, Manufacturing, Aviation & Aerospace, 3D printing, Automotive, Welding, Warnings & Labels, Oil and Gas, Product Development, Laboratories & Testing, Candle Fires, Button Battery, Blenders, Heating pads
Mingxi is a Licensed Professional Mechanical Engineer in the state of California with expertise in materials development and mechanical engineering across a broad range of industries. She holds a Master's and a Bachelor's degree in Material Science and Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. With a specialty in materials science, metallurgy, fracture mechanics and failure analysis, she has hands-on industry experience in materials testing and process development in the aerospace and manufacturing industries. Her time as a working engineer in advanced manufacturing and startup environments has proven invaluable in providing evidence and practice-based expert opinions and testimony regarding engineering, manufacturing, risk assessment and warnings.
Prior to joining Berkeley Engineering And Research, Inc., she held engineering roles at SpaceX, Virgin Orbit, and Carbon 3D, where she worked on integrating Mil, ASTM, ISO, and NASA specifications into developing intel...
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Maz Rostamian, PhD
Complex Loads and Acceleration Prediction
FEAD LLC
Mission Viejo, California
Accident Reconstruction, Aviation & Aerospace
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Product Liability, Mechanical Failure, Custom Simulations, Custom Demonstratives, Human Interaction, Injury Causation, Industrial Incidents, Marine Incidents, Aviation Incidents, Accident Reconstruction, Coupled Loads Analysis, Separation Dynamics, Launch Vehicle, Release Mechanisms, Deployables, G-Force Quantification
Mechanical engineering expert with 12+ years of specialized experience in multiphysics analyses—including MBD, FEA and CFD simulations—across aerospace, defense, robotics, renewable energy, and forensics. Provides objective, technically sound evaluations of mechanical failures, safety systems, and accident scenarios. Skilled in developing and presenting complex analyses in clear, defensible terms for attorneys, courts, and juries. Experienced in creating custom simulations, physics-based animations, and technical reports to support litigation, arbitration, and mediation. Recognized for strong communication, detailed documentation, and credible testimony under oath.
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Michael R. Henderson
Legal Eagles Aviation: No Need to Look Further
Legal Eagles Aviation
Danville, California
Aviation & Aerospace, Engineering
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Aircraft Accident, Aircraft Incident, Aircraft Crash, Plane Crash, Aviation Safety, General Aviation, GA, Aviation, Flight, FAA, NTSB, FSDO, AOPA, Pilot Training, Flight School, Aircraft Maintenance, Crash Forensics, Aircraft Safety, Cessna, Cirrus
Legal Eagles Aviation delivers clear, defensible expert witness support for aviation-related litigation. We work directly with attorneys to break down complex technical issues into precise, courtroom-ready insights that stand up under scrutiny.
When aviation accidents occur, the outcome of your case depends on understanding what actually happened—and why. Our expertise spans aircraft systems, pilot decision-making, maintenance practices, and regulatory compliance.
We analyze events methodically, identify causal factors, and communicate findings in a way judges and juries understand.
We don’t speculate—we determine. Every conclusion is grounded in data, experience, and disciplined analysis. The result is clarity where others see confusion.
Hiring the right expert shouldn’t slow your case down. We streamline the process, reduce uncertainty, and give you a reliable technical foundation from day one.
If your case involves aviation, you don’t need multiple consultants—you need the ...
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Ethan J Baughman, M.D. Ph.D.
Plastic Surgery & Aviation Medicine Expert
Ethan J. Baughman M.D. Inc, A Medical Corporation
Westlake Village, California
Plastic Surgery, Aviation & Aerospace
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Immunology, Breast Augmentation, Breast Lift, Breast Reconstruction, Breast Reduction, Breast Revision, Gynecomastia, Brow Lift, Chin Augmentation, Ear Surgery, Eyelid Lift, Facelift, Facial Fat Grafting, Neck Lift, Neck Liposuction, Rhinoplasty, After Weight Loss Surgery, Arm Lift, BOTOX, IMR
Dr. Ethan J. Baughman, MD, PhD, FACS is an American board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon and FAA-designated Senior Aviation Medical Examiner providing expert witness services in plastic surgery, reconstructive surgery, trauma care, and aviation medicine.
He maintains an active surgical practice in Westlake Village, California and serves on clinical faculty at Los Robles Regional Medical Center, where he teaches general surgery residents and participates in multidisciplinary trauma care.
Dr. Baughman has extensive clinical experience in:
Cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery of the face, breast, and body
Traumatic injuries, including facial fractures, hand injuries, nerve and tendon lacerations, and complex soft-tissue wounds
Breast surgery, including augmentation, mastopexy, implant revision, and reconstruction
Body contouring procedures, including abdominoplasty and liposuction
Complex wound care, including debridement, grafting, flap reconstruction, and ...
You can also find Aviation & Aerospace Expert Witnesses in:
Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, and Texas
