Aviation expert opinions and accident investigation

AeroXpert Investigations

A sworn and court-certified aviation expert

Dr. Thomas M. Friesacher, MSc, PhD, specialises in transport, aviation and accident investigation under specialist field 17.30.

Objective
Expert
Independent

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Expert opinions

Expert support for legal and technical matters

We provide technical assessments and expert reports for aviation disputes, using independent, impartial and scientifically sound analysis.

Courts
Counsel
Insurers
Authorities

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Investigation

Investigating incidents and accidents in commercial aviation

We investigate incidents, operational disruptions and accidents in airline and other commercial flight operations.

Line operations
Commercial aviation
Accident analysis

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Forensic evidence

General aviation analysis and evidence preservation on site

We analyse general aviation incidents and accidents, assess damage and preserve forensic evidence at accessible sites.

General aviation
Scene investigation
Evidence review

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Credentials

Academic qualifications and institutional expertise

Dr. Friesacher holds a PhD and MSc in Safety and Accident Investigation, serves as an independent external expert to EASA and is an accredited adviser to the European Commission.

Cranfield University
EASA
Horizon 2020
ISO 17024

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Contact

Offices in Austria with 24/7 emergency support

Our offices in Schwanenstadt and Vienna are open Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:00 CET. Each engagement begins with a confidential briefing.

Schwanenstadt
Vienna
24/7

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Dr. Thomas M. Friesacher, MSc, PhD

Objective. Expert. International.

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Expert

Dr. Thomas M. Friesacher, MSc, PhD

A sworn and court-certified expert in aviation, flight training and aircraft accident investigation.

Dr. Friesacher provides technical assessments and expert opinions to help resolve aviation disputes.

As an independent external expert, he advises EASA in selected subject areas and provides expertise to the European Commission, including for Horizon 2020.

His reports combine specialist expertise with scientifically sound methods to provide independent, impartial and objective assessments.

Objective. Expert. Independent.

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Accreditation

Professional credentials and affiliations

Each opinion draws on court certification, academic training in accident investigation and experience as an independent institutional expert.

Mandates

Independent expertise for professional clients

We prepare expert reports for courts, public prosecutors, administrative authorities, lawyers, insurers and research institutions.

Specialist companies within AeroXpert Group provide crisis consulting and forensic visualisation services.

Courts, public prosecutors and administrative authorities
Aviation litigation lawyers and in-house counsel
Insurance companies and claims handlers
Airlines, operators and investigation bodies
Research institutions requiring independent technical input
Aircraft manufacturers and aerospace organisations

Expertise

Expert opinions, occurrence analysis and forensic investigation support

Our assessments are independent and impartial, using scientifically sound methods to reach conclusions supported by evidence.

01 / Investigation

Airline and commercial operations

We investigate incidents, accidents and operational disruptions in airline and other commercial flight operations.

02 / Analysis

General aviation

We analyse occurrences involving general aviation aircraft, including training flights, and assess damage in related technical disputes.

03 / Forensic

Forensic evidence

We help preserve accident scenes and collect forensic evidence when the site remains accessible.

04 / Expert witness

Expert opinions

We prepare written expert opinions for courts, prosecutors, administrative authorities, lawyers, insurers and research institutions, and explain our findings at hearings.

Special areas

Specialist support tailored to the matter

Forensic evidence preservation
Explosive sabotage
Fire analysis in aircraft accidents
Flight data monitoring analysis
Disaster victim identification (DVI) for air accident investigators
Accident scene risk management
ICAO Annex 13 and EU Regulation 996/2010
Human performance investigation for air accident investigators
Interview techniques for witness hearings
Systematic and scientific analysis techniques for aircraft accidents
Wreckage examination and reconstruction
Airworthiness and maintenance investigation

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Method

From evidence to an expert opinion

Our approach combines careful evidence handling, scientific analysis and clear reporting to produce an independent, defensible expert opinion.

Evidence intake

We collect and secure the available records and evidence using forensic methods informed by current scientific knowledge.

Scene investigation

When the accident site remains accessible, we conduct a comprehensive forensic survey and preserve evidence to support the subsequent analysis.

Accident analysis

We analyse evidence gathered at the scene or review an existing case file when a site visit is no longer possible.

Expert report

We prepare an independent, objective expert report based on the available evidence and current scientific knowledge.

Evidence assessment

We assess the evidence objectively and independently, distinguishing supported findings from assumptions.

Hearing

We explain the opinion in court or to the instructing party, showing how the evidence supports each finding.

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Credentials

Academic qualifications and professional experience

Dr. Thomas M. Friesacher, MSc, PhD, combines academic training in accident investigation with court certification and operational flying experience.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Safety and Accident Investigation (Air Transport), Cranfield University, UK
Master of Science (MSc) in Safety and Accident Investigation (Air Transport), Cranfield University, UK
University-certified Safety Management expert
University-certified Flight Data Monitoring and Flight Operational Assurance expert
University-certified Crisis Management and Business Continuity Management expert
University-certified air accident investigator and safety investigator
University-certified Hazards and Evidence Awareness Air Accident Responder
DIN EN ISO/IEC 17024:2012 certified expert, aviation and flight operations
Independent external expert to EASA
Independent accredited adviser and expert to the European Commission
Retired line captain and flight instructor
Lecturer, Salzburg University of Applied Sciences
Member of the European and International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI)
Sworn and court-certified expert in Austria, specialist field 17.30: transport, aviation and accident investigation

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Research

Scientific publications

Dr. Friesacher's research examines how commuting affects airline pilots' stress levels before duty and their performance. A study of European airline pilots took place in summer 2014, followed by further doctoral research at Cranfield University's Institute for Accident Investigation.

Pilot commuting research, Cranfield University

SemNOTAM, with JKU Linz and Frequentis AG

Intercultural cooperation lecture, FH Salzburg

Selected public work

This page features only papers and talks shared through established academic and professional venues. All casework remains confidential and is never published here or elsewhere.

Friesacher, T. (2015). Aspects of a European Airline Pilot Commute. Cranfield University, Cranfield, UK.
Steiner, D., Kovacic, I., Burgstaller, F., Schrefl, M., Friesacher, T., Gringinger, E. (2016). Semantic Enrichment of DNOTAMs to Reduce Information Overload in Pilot Briefings. ICNS, Herndon, VA.
Friesacher, T., Greaves, M. (2016). The Effect of Commuting on Pilot Self-assessment of Stress and Performance. ISASI Conference, Reykjavik.

Contact

Request a confidential briefing

Please tell us about your organisation, the relevant jurisdiction and the nature of the matter. We review each professional enquiry to confirm the scope of work and our independence before preparing an opinion.

We respond to professional enquiries on working days. Emergency contact is available 24/7.

Dr. Thomas M. Friesacher, MSc, PhD He is a sworn and court-certified expert in transport, aviation and aircraft accident investigation.

Upper Austria office Gmundnerstrasse 32 / Top 2
4690 Schwanenstadt
Austria

Vienna office Zollergasse 25 / Top 14
1070 Vienna
Austria

VAT number: ATU74400748
Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 17:00 CET
Emergency: 24/7

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Your enquiry

Please do not include confidential, legally privileged or security-sensitive material at this initial stage.

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We confirm the scope of work and our independence before preparing an expert opinion.

Thank you for your enquiry. We will review the proposed scope of work and confirm our independence before proceeding.

01
Tell us who you are Tell us your organisation and role, and briefly describe the matter.
02
Independence and scope We review the scope of work and confirm our independence before preparing an opinion.
03
Secure follow-up We agree on the terms of the engagement and a suitable secure channel for transferring evidence.