Max Vermij is a professional engineer with a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Masters degree in Materials Failure and Deformation Engineering. He has acquired a number of post-graduate certificates in the areas of aircraft accident and fire investigation and prevention. Prior to settling in North America, he was trained as an instrument and model maker, and holds a certificate of Instrument Making from the trades education system in the Netherlands. He worked in the aviation and instrumentation industries for more than 50 years, of which 12 years were at Pratt & Whitney Canada Ltd., where he worked on the development of the PT-6 and JT15D turbine engines. In addition he has 32 years of experience directly dedicated to aviation safety and accident investigation, and has participated in over 1,000 aircraft accident investigations and 50 motor vehicle, marine and rail accidents. He has written a number of technical papers and publications on the analysis of radar data, wreckage components, cockpit instruments and light bulbs, and electrical systems and other transport safety related topics, including 7 papers for the International Society for Air Safety Investigators (ISASI), and has lectured extensively on these subjects. He worked for 12 years with the Canadian Transportation Safety Board (TSB), including 8 years as head of the Electrical/Mechanical Engineering Analysis sections, which he designed and developed to include advanced flight data recorder (FDR), cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and air traffic control (ATC) tapes and radar track data analysis systems which are used worldwide. Since May 1987, Max has been a full time independent accident investigation specialist and consultant mostly in the aviation transportation industry.  He was one of the three founding partners of ‘Accident Investigation & Research Inc.’ (1983-1998), an aviation investigation consulting company. He was also one of the founding partners of ‘Airborne Data Technologies Ltd.’, a firm dedicated to research and development of advanced FDR and CVR readout and analysis technology that developed and supplied the Computer-Aided Debriefing System (CADS) technology for simulators.  In July 1998, Max Vermij formed his own investigation consulting company ‘Accident Cause Analysis Inc.’ specializing in accident reconstruction, failure and fire analysis and safety relating to all modes of transportation and industrial systems and equipment.

Areas of Specialization

•    Over the last 10 years, Max has mostly worked on causal factor analysis and accident flight reconstructions of large transport aircraft accidents worldwide, in countries including: Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Panama, Honduras, Cameroon, Indonesia, Philippines, United States and Canada.

•    Analysis of: flight data recorders, cockpit voice recorders, radar data, aircraft instruments and light bulbs, systems, electrical, hydraulic and mechanical components, structures, powerplants (all types), fire and explosion damage, materials and marine control systems.

Educational Background

•     Certificate - Instrument Making & Machining (1954); Trade Education System, the Netherlands

•     Diploma - Radio & T.V. Electronics (1957); R.E.T.S., Montreal, Canada

•     B. Eng. - Mechanical Engineering (1978); Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada

•     M. Eng. - Materials Failure and Deformation Engineering (1980); University of Ottawa, Canada

•     Certificate - Crash Survival Investigation (1980); Arizona State University (ASU)

•     Certificate - Digital Signal Processing (1980); Integrated Computer Systems, Los Angeles

•     Diploma - Aircraft Accident Investigation (1981); Nat'l Academy for Aviation Safety, Utah

•     Certificate - Electrical Fires Investigation, (1982), University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin

•     Certificate - Aircraft Fire Protection/Mishap Investigation, (1997); AFP Associates,

       Dayton, Ohio

Technical Background

•     Developed and served as head of the Electrical/Mechanical Engineering Analysis sections of the Canadian TSB for 8 years from 1979 through 1987.

•     52 years experience in aviation structures, engines and instrumentation technology.

•     32 years experience in aircraft, road, marine, rail and industrial accident investigation and prevention: 12 years with the Canadian TSB; 12 years with Accident Investigation & Research Inc.; and now as an independent investigation consultant with Accident Cause Analysis Inc.

•     Participated in over 1,000 aircraft accident investigations.

•     Participated in over 50 motor vehicle, marine, rail and industrial accident investigations.

•     Designed and established the Canadian TSB flight data/cockpit voice recorder transcription and analysis facility.

•     Designed and established a radar data flight track computing and analysis capability.

•     Developed and established the post-accident analysis of light bulbs as a viable investigative technique in support of accident investigation.

Current Professional Affiliations

•     Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario

•     Canadian / Ontario Societies of Professional Engineers

•     International Society of Air Safety Investigators (life member)

•     American Society for Metals - ASM International

Past Professional Affiliations

•   SAE International                                •   Canadian Assoc. of Road Safety Professionals

•   National Fire Protection Assoc.        •   International Court of Aviation & Space Arbitration

•   Society of Fire Protection Engineers        

Expert Background

•     More than 30 years experience providing deposition and trial testimony in U.S. & Canadian courts, inquests and inquiries.

•     Experience as an arbitrator in binding arbitration procedures related to product liability settlements.

Teaching Background

•     Systems, Instruments, Light Bulb and Impact Mark Analysis in support of aviation accident investigation for Transport Canada personnel, Ottawa; 1983.

•     Basic Accident Investigation for Fokker Aircraft personnel, Amsterdam; 1993.

•     Gas Turbine Engine Accident Investigation (GTAI) for the University of Southern California Aviation Safety Program, Los Angeles; 1995 to 2004.

•     Accident Prevention and Investigation for the Institute of Aviation Safety, Swedavia (Subsidiary of the Swedish Civil Aviation Administration), Stockholm; 1997 to 2001.

Research & Studies

•     Directed a 5 year Transport Canada funded study into "The Dynamics of Light Bulb Filaments under Severe Impact Conditions"  in support of accident investigation (TSB).

•     Directed the development of crash impact simulation techniques for instrument, lightbulbs and small electrical/mechanical components in support of accident investigation (TSB).

•     Developed instrument damage and witness mark analysis techniques to determine pre-impact positions and parameter indications (TSB).

•     Directed a study into the causes of failure of emergency locator transmitters (ELT) used in the SARSAT search & rescue programs (TSB).

•     Directed developmental research in surveillance radar data analysis, interpretation, transcription and visualization (TSB).

•     Directed the development of a FDR/CVR readout and analysis facility and systems (TSB).

Technical Papers and Publications

•     "An Overview of the Canadian Experience with Emergency Locator Transmitters"

        ISASI International Seminar, Montreal (1979)

•     "Analysis of Crash Impacted Cockpit Instruments"

        ISASI  International Seminar, Tel Aviv (1982)

•     "Advanced Technology Analysis of Crash Impacted Aircraft Light Bulbs"

        ISASI  International Seminar, Chicago (1983)

•     "Guide to Light Bulb Analysis";   Transport Canada Development Center (1984), #TP6255E

•     Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Ocean Ranger Disaster (1984)

•     "Ballast Control Mimic Panel Analysis"             •     "Porthole Glass Pressure Tests"

•     "Analysis of Solenoid Control Valves"               •     "Portholes Examination"

•     "Ballast Control Panel Light Bulb Analysis"      •     "Ballast Control Panel Tests"

•     "Pump Switch Failure Demonstration"              •     "Microswitch Failure Analysis"

•     "Ballast Control Electrical System & Overall Analysis"

•     "Impact Imprints on Aircraft Components, Field & Laboratory Analysis"

        ISASI  International Seminar, Phoenix (1985)

•     "Light Bulb Filament Impact Dynamics Study"

        Transport Canada Development Center (1985), #TP6254E

•     "Light Bulb Filament Impact Damage Analysis Field Guide"

        Transport Canada Development Center (1986), #TP6254E

•     "Impact Imprints on Aircraft Wreckage"

        Aviation Law Symposium, Southern Methodist University, Dallas (1986)

•     "Investigative Techniques"

       Department of the U.S. Air Force Manual AF127-1, Volume II July 31, 1987

•     "A Futuristic Look at Flight Data & Cockpit Voice Recorders"

        ISASI  International Seminar, Vancouver (1988)

•     "Radar Data Analysis for the Purpose of Accident Investigation"

         ISASI  International Seminar, Munich (1989)

•      "Defect or Flaw - Legal Implications"

          A.S.M. International Failure Analysis Conference, Montreal (1991)

•      "RAP (Radar Analysis Program) - An Interactive Computer Program for Radar Based Flight Path Reconstruction and Analysis"

         ISASI  International Seminar, Paris (1994)

•      “Anatomy of a Suspected Engine Failure”

        Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) Aviation Law/Insurance Symposium, Daytona Beach, Florida (1999)