USC Aviation Experts Available On 75th Anniversary of Amelia Earhart’s Disappearance

July 2, 2012 will mark the 75th anniversary of the disappearance of aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart during her round-the-world flight.  Despite countless investigations into the disappearance and presumed plane crash, the mystery of what happened to Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan somewhere over the South Pacific has never been solved.  In July, The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) will launch a new search for Earhart’s Lockheed Electra.

Experts with the USC Aviation Safety and Security Program have personal knowledge about Earhart’s fated last flight, including direct experience with efforts to recover the missing aircraft.  Established just 15 years after Earhart’s disappearance, the program was the first aviation safety program started at a major research university.

USC on the Search for Amelia from USC Viterbi on Vimeo.

Thomas Anthony, Director of the USC Aviation Safety and Security Program, is an expert in aircraft accident investigation, aviation safety management systems, and aviation security.  A 25-year veteran of the Federal Aviation Administration, Anthony’s longtime fascination with Earhart was inspired by his family’s involvement with Earhart’s aviation advisor and Hollywood stunt pilot Paul Mantz.

“Anyone who’s studied aircraft accidents knows that it’s never a single cause.  It’s always several things coming together,” Anthony said. “Our program was started in order to prevent aircraft accidents… When they find the wreckage , if they find the wreckage, they’ll look at the same things that we look at here in our accident investigation class.”

Anthony notes that in Earhart’s day, the mechanical failure of an aircraft was not unusual though today it is quite rare.  “You cannot engineer out human factors — the human factors of fear, of fatigue, of losing night vision after hours of wakefulness.  And so that’s where we’re striving to make our advances now.”

Anthony can be reached at (310) 342-1349 or thomasa@usc.edu.

Chris Nutter is an instructor in the USC Aviation Safety and Security Program, an airline captain, and retired Naval Aviator.  A senior accident investigator with his airline, Nutter was part of the Waitt Institute’s 2009 deep sea search for Earhart’s aircraft in the South Pacific area where she is believed to have crashed.

“What we surmised in the end was that she likely descended a little early, probably hoping to be down underneath the clouds to get a better look at the island and not overfly and miss the island… It’s very possible that nearing the end of their fuel supply, not locating Howland Island and awake nearly 24 hours, they inadvertently impacted the water, just not recognizing where they were.  Low altitude overwater flight can be challenging because altitude is difficult to judge. It’s something that Navy pilots guard against at all times, because they flew into the water, just not recognizing where they were.  Very common to have happen.  It’s something that Navy pilots guard against at all times, because being low to the water is very disorienting.  You can’t judge your distance very well.”

Nutter can be reached at (310) 342-1345 or chrisnutter@comcast.net.

About USC Aviation Safety and Security
Established in 1952, the USC Aviation Safety and Security Program has served as the gold standard of aviation safety management education for over half a century.  Offering 20 courses to nearly 1,000 students each year, the program has hosted aviation professionals from over 70 nations and all major U.S. aviation organizations, both civilian and military.  The more than 1,700 USC Aviation Safety Certificate holders occupy positions of responsibility in airlines, government agencies, private industry and other aviation organizations worldwide.  Currently in its sixtieth year, USC Aviation Safety and Security was the first aviation safety program established at a major research university.

Contact: Katie Dunham at (213) 740-3992 or knd@usc.edu, or Robert Perkins at (213) 740-9226 or perkinsr@usc.edu