With respect, I'd like to see some supporting evidence for this assertion before I accept it.
One thing I know about the NTSB is that their investigators may be hired from other backgrounds than piloting initially, because they tend to want investigators to be "all-rounders". This is different from the UK AAIB, who tend to hire groups of specialists in certain areas.
I'm certainly aware of many old NTSB hands who've done stellar work without going tin-kicking from the past though, so I'm a little sceptical that this is in fact an issue.
Last edited by DozyWannabe; 29th Aug 2014 at 22:35.