Originally Posted by Mad (Flt) Scientist
Study the composition of the NTSB - that is the BOARD MEMBERS - and you'll find that ultimately, although they rely on specialists to make the investigation, the actual board members who have the final say are, in fact, "amateurs" - and often bring an outside perspective to the final report.
edit: took some finding...
Current Members of the Board are:
* Mark V. Rosenker, Chairman
* Robert L. Sumwalt , Vice Chairman
* Deborah A. P. Hersman, Member
* Kathryn O'Leary Higgins, Member
* Steven R. Chealander, Member
Links to their bios are here
None are "trained accident investigators" by any stretch of the imagination (two were pilots, but that's not the same thing, obviously)
As to "why is aviation picked on" - it isn't. Ask any, say, nuclear industry employee if he thinks they are immune to "armchair experts". Or the military in general. Or the police forces. Or ....
In view of your statement “None are ‘trained accident investigators’ by any stretch of the imagination (two were pilots, but that’s not the same thing, obviously);" here is a quote from the “bio” of Robert Sumwalt.
A trained accident investigator, Mr. Sumwalt participated in several NTSB investigations including the crash of USAir flight 427 in 1994 near Aliquippa PA, and USAir flight 861 near Birmingham Alabama in 1998. He also participated in the Transportation Safety Board of Canada's investigation of the accident involving Swissair flight 111 off the coast of Nova Scotia in 1998.
From 1991 to 1999, Mr. Sumwalt conducted aviation safety research as a consultant to NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System, studying various issues including flight crew performance and air carrier de-icing and anti-icing problems.
Mr. Sumwalt has co-authored a book on aircraft accidents and he has written extensively on aviation safety matters, having published over 85 articles and papers in aviation trade publications and he has broad experience in writing aircraft operations manuals and airline and corporate aviation policy and procedure guidelines. He has been a regular contributor to Professional Pilot magazine.
In 2003, Mr. Sumwalt joined the faculty of the University of Southern California's Aviation Safety and Security Program, where he was the primary human factors instructor.