Chuck Leonard is retired from the National Transportation Safety Board where he was a Senior Air Safety Investigator.  While at the NTSB, Chuck investigated more than 200 aircraft accidents and numerous incidents, as Investigator-In-Charge and Group Chairman.  Included in his investigations were large commercial aircraft (747, 737, 727, DC-8), corporate aircraft, and many general aviation accidents/incidents.

 

Prior to the NTSB, Chuck was a captain for Eastern Airlines for 23.5 years.  He was also a military pilot.  He was on active duty for 8 years and in the National Guard for 12 years.  He flew the F-86, F-104 and numerous other aircraft.  He was a flight examiner and instructor in the Air Force while flying the T-38.  He is rated as an Airline Transport Pilot with more than 17,000 hours.

 

Mr. Leonard is a graduate from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut.  He has attended many courses in aircraft accident investigation including the University of Southern California, NTSB, FAA, and FBI.  He is a member of the International Society of Air Safety Investigator (ISASI) and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).

 

Chuck began teaching in the Aviation Safety Program at the University of Southern California in 1999.  He teaches Aircraft Accident Investigation and Incident Investigation and Analysis.  Chuck travels extensively in and out of the United States investigating aircraft accidents and incidents -both large and small aircraft.  He is currently involved in many investigations and other safety related activities.