Barnes W. McCormick

This book provides a basic source of technical and legal information to participate intelligently in the search for probable causes and discussion of the legal aspects of aircraft accidents. It should be especially helpful to lawyers and engineers embarking on investigative careers. It includes a list of experts from many disciplines and a worldwide list of aviation addresses and organizations, as well as data retrieval sources.

Readers will appreciate the book's refreshing review of the elements of aerodynamics, structural design, powerplants, aircraft control techniques, as well as the nuances of applicable law such as product liability and negligence. The appendix itself is a learning experience.

This book could be considered a postgraduate guide for the hardware-oriented aircraft accident investigator, especially the sections on human errors and human factors.

New in the third edition are chapters covering the Freedom of Information Act, safety, discovery, spoliation of evidence, Death on the High Seas Act, tort litigation and more.

Transportation Law Journal -  January 1, 2003

Aircraft Accident Reconstruction and Litigation provides a sound introduction to the considerations that must go into aircraft accident causation analysis and litigation... What the work accomplishes most notably is to sort out the complex considerations that comprise the accident in a way that would educate the attorney in understanding the evidence and fording the appropriate theory of the case. In so doing, the work serves as a valuable aid in relaying hte results of aircraft accident analysis, as evidence of causation, to a jury.

Book News Inc. -  March 1, 2004
Lawyers and engineers must link their work when they set about untangling plane wreckage, and this compendium supports the search for probable causes and the examination of legal aspects. Coverage includes the elements of aerodynamics, structural design, powerplants, and aircraft control techniques as well as the specifics of investigative techniques and the nuances of law, such as product liability and negligence. A substantial appendices section (over 120 pages) presents such material as a glossary of aviation terms, sample contracts and petitions, a civil aviation case checklist for general aviation and commercial air crashes, FAA enforcement actions, manufacturers' safety and quality control programs, safety audits, and a comparison of the effectiveness of charts and graphs with that of computer-generated video in the presentation of data. Authors McCormick and Papadakis are seasoned engineers in the field, and their work is fleshed out by contributions from a distinguished cast of legal experts.