Mr. Swint is the founder and CEO of ATA Associates. He spent 25 years with NASA Space Program. While at NASA his activities included manager of the NASA Measurements Laboratory and the Lead Project Engineer on Lunar Module Instrumentation and Testing. Mr. Swint continued his involvement in instrumentation and testing of products when he started ATA in 1974. ATA has the capabilities to test and evaluate products at its technology center dealing with small product evaluation through large system levels. ATA has agreements with NASA to utilize their engineering and test facilities.

Mr.Fritsch is a licensed, professional engineer with a Master of Mechanical Engineering degree from Rice University. He has worked at ATA Associates for over 17 years after gaining broad engineering experience in prior jobs with two NASA contractors and an oilfield equipment manufacturer. In addition to his experience working on the evaluation of motor vehicle and boat dynamics, Ed has done extensive work on the testing and analysis of manufacturing machinery and industrial facility systems components, as well as investigating cases involving household and recreational products.

Mr. Vaughan has received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Wright State University with a focus in design engineering. Allen has developed proficiency analyzing accidents using engineering tools such as the FARO 3D scanner, FARO Zone 3D, Context Capture and ArcGIS software, V-Box data collector and surveying equipment. .

Ms. Yergin has been an accident investigator since 1994, when she went to study under forensic physicist Thomas L. Bohan, a past president of the Academy of Forensic Sciences. April has two degrees, one of which was a bachelor of science in aeronautical engineering from Arizona State University.

Ms. Yergin has extensive experience in vehicle systems download, dynamics analysis and computer-aided simulation tools, and is ACTAR certified.

Dr. Neal Adams has worked in the drilling and completion industry for 42 years and in 33 countries. Throughout his career, his main interests have been in drilling problems and prevention, well control, casing/coupling failures occurring during fracturing operations and oilfield safety. He earned a PhD in Petroleum Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and a Master’s of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Houston. Dr. Adams has authored five books, co-authored chapters in two SPE publications and published 80 technical publications. He was the recipient of the 2015 SPE International Drilling Engineering Award.

Mr. Alexander has experience in a variety of disciplines which include military and civilian aircraft flight control systems, electrical and mechanical systems, industrial equipment control systems, OSHA electrical code compliance and general safety issues. Bob spent 20 years at NASA working in various positions on the Space Shuttle and International Space Station programs, as well as having worked at Lockheed Martin specializing in safety product assurance. Additionally, he is trained in accident investigation with a focus on failure and cause identification.

Dr. Andre is a professor at James Madison University. His expertise centers on visual perception and human factors. He has been conducting vision research in university settings since 1988 and has over 20 publications and 55 conference presentations and invited addresses. Dr. Andre’s expert witness consulting activities provide him an opportunity to apply his research and interests in visual science and human factors to the legal community.

In his 20 year career, he has provided expert opinions on issues such as, but not limited to, conspicuity,
lighting conditions, perception-reaction time, and alcohol’s effects on vision, expectation and attention. He has represented almost evenly plaintiffs and defense clients and includes both civil and criminal cases involving driving, traffic, pedestrian, cyclist, residential, trip & fall, and boating/maritime matters.

Mr. Cummings is a forensic 3d animator with over 25 years of developing highly accurate forensic animations. He works closely with experts to create photo-realistic 3d animations and renderings to support expert testimony.

Dr. Emerson is an experienced executive from the chemical and metallurgical industries. For nearly 20 years,
he has been devoted to the prevention of catastrophic accidents in those arenas.

He is experienced in deposition and trial testimony in state district and federal courts. He is a registered Professional Engineer (Chemical) in two states, and earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in Metallurgical/ Chemical Engineering.

KnightHawk Engineering, Inc. (KHE) is a specialty engineering company with over 17 years in business. KHE covers all disciplines, including troubleshooting and failure analysis of industrial equipment, mechanical, chemical, electrical, process, materials, static and rotating equipment, code compliance, structural and thermodynamics. KHE provides expert witness evaluations and testimony in complex cases involving engineering failures such as Deepwater Horizon. KHE’s clients include ExxonMobil, Shell and NASA.

Knighthawk also specializes in Design and Failure Analysis, Compliance and Controls, Static and Rotating Equipment, Thermodynamics and Fine Element Analysis.

KNIGHTHAWK STAFF EXPERTS

CLIFF KNIGHT, P.E. - CEO/Chief Engineer
failure investigation, failure analysis, research and development, design, and troubleshooting of static and rotating equipment. modeling and troubleshooting of mechanical systems, computer fluid dynamics, finite element analysis

KEVIN SICKING – COO/Senior Controls Consultant
design, analysis and troubleshooting of process controls, instrumentation, electrical systems, control of static and rotating equipment.

ERIK HOWARD , PE – Vice Presiden
specialty engineering and product design, industrial static and rotating equipment failure analysis, design, analysis and testing of mechanical connections

CARLOS R CORLETO, P.E. Ph.D. - Senior Metallurgical and Materials Consultant
deformation & fracture mechanisms, fracture mechanics, finite element stress analysis, computational fluid dynamics, materials science, process-structure-property relationships, failure analysis, modeling and materials testing at the micro and macroscopic scale.

ARTHUR DiNICOLANTONIO – Senior Consultant
design, failure analysis and troubleshooting – furnace and heater design

STEVEN HESTER - Sr. Electrical & Automation Consultant
design, analysis, and troubleshooting of electrical, electronic, and embedded control systems, waste to energy systems

MICHAEL HOERNER, Ph.D. - Sr. Metallurgical Advisor
materials investigations, failure analysis, casting and forging, strengthening mechanisms, kinetics, and thermodynamics.

FARZAM MORTAZAVI, Ph.D. - Mechanical Advisor
rotating equipment, computational fluid dynamics, turbomachinery, rotor dynamics, vibrations, heat transfer, and fluid dynamics.

LINDA KELLY ROBINSON, P.E. - Asst. Chief Engineer
category 2 vibration specialist, thermal modeling of heat transfer equipment, fluid dynamics and piping systems analysis

KOBUS STADLER, P.E. – Senior Consultant
Troubleshooting, Failure Analysis, Implementation of petrochemical equipment, pipe stress analysis, fitness for service assessment

CAROLL (CHET) STROH – Senior Mechanical Consultant
rotordynamics, design, maintenance, troubleshooting and failure analysis of rotating equipment.

YANLI ZHANG, Ph.D. - Mechanical Advisor
design and analysis of equipments using tools including solid modeling, finite element analysis, numerical modeling and heat transfer, fatigue life assessment, structure dynamic analysis, transient heat transfer, creep, fracture, code and regulatory compliance analysis and review

Dr. Lasseigne has extensive experience in the fields of metallurgy, hydrogen, corrosion, and materials science and is a world renowned expert in hydrogen embrittlement and corrosion.

Angelique places great emphasis on taking an ethical approach to her work and has published over 90 papers and co-authored three books in the fields of welding metallurgy, corrosion, and non-destructive testing for materials characterization. She received bachelors degrees in physics and metallurgical engineering and her M.S. and Ph.D. in metallurgical engineering from the Colorado School of Mines.

Steve Robichaux has been involved in the heavy equipment for more than 40 years. His extensive experience involves cranes, forklifts and aerial equipment. He has had the opportunity and privilege to have been employed by trend setting equipment companies with which safety and attention to detail was the standard. He has had experience in working as a technician, remanufacture leader, product support representative, repair estimator, equipment appraiser, inspector, manufacturer assisted projects, operator, rigger, trainer, accident investigator, and expert witness.

Mr. Shirey is an Analytical Chemist and the owner of Shirey Analytical Services. SAS is a material analysis consulting agency focusing on the compositional analysis of coatings/paint, elastomers, plastics and oils.
Lynn's capabilities in the use of microscopes include 40X and 200X visual microscopy as well as micro-FTIR analysis.

Lynn conducts root cause failure analysis of coatings, plastics and elastomers on a routine basis.

21st Century Forensic Animation is the oldest forensic animation firm in the nation and is one of the pioneers in the forensic animation field. They work in conjunction with experts across the globe to create sophisticated 3D computer visualization of their expert opinion. They have generated countless animations for cases involving motor vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, trucking, motor coaches and trains. They also have extensive experience in cases involving maritime, aviation, construction, OSHA, FELA, product liability, maintenance, electricity, explosions, fires, environmental, oil & gas, roadway design, patents, floods, hurricanes, capital murder, death penalty, mass shootings, and even war crimes, plus many others. 21st Century utilizes the latest technologies such as UAV (drone), laser scanning and close-range photogrammetry to insure the accuracy and verifiability
of their animations.

Mr. Wink is a factory and dealer trained Master Diesel Technician with 17 years of experience working in the arena of heavy duty trucks and engines. Evan's capabilities include general diagnosis and repair, with focuses on electrical systems, engine repair and replacement, vehicle suspension and alignment, transmission repair and replacement, hydraulic equipment and brake systems. He is also well versed on the subject of preventative maintenance.

Evan is trained and certified in the latest technology and diagnostic software and is team leader with a strong work ethic who enjoys using his vast industry experience to educate junior mechanics.

Mariusz Ziejewski, PhD, is a Professor in the College of Engineering at North Dakota State University where he is the director of the Impact Biomechanics Laboratory and the director of the Automotive Systems Laboratory. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the University Of North Dakota School Of Medicine.

Dr. Ziejewski has performed human body dynamics research for the Armstrong Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, Human System Division which is part of the United States Air Force. He has been a member of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Collaboration Group on Human Brain Modeling. He has been involved in Emergency Room (ER) Biomechanical Brain Injury Evaluation, at Meritcare’s Trauma Center, Fargo, ND. Dr. Ziejewski was also named the founding chair of the Blast Injury Institute of NABIS.