Bobbie R. Allen

Bobbie R. Allen (July 26, 1922 – November 17, 1972) was a U.S. Government Official, Air Safety Investigator and Naval Aviator. As Director of the Bureau of Aviation Safety at the Civil Aeronautics Board – later the National Transportation Safety Board – Allen spearheaded the use of flight data recorders and laid the groundwork for what would become the Aviation Safety Reporting System. At the time of Allen's retirement from the NTSB in 1968, the airlines of the world had the best safety record in their history and United States scheduled carriers had their best safety record since 1954.

Early life Bobbie Ray Allen was born on July 26, 1922, in Winnsboro, Texas. His father, Buddy Bura Allen (August 15, 1900 – November 7, 1978) was a deaf-mute and was one of twelve children born to Joe and Dollie Allen, who farmed cotton near the town of Winnsboro, Texas.

Allen's mother, Edna Lorena Brown (March 6, 1903 - June 27, 1943), was one of five children, born to Walter Shook Brown and Hattie Belle Henderson, both of East Texas communities near Winnsboro. Allen's father was an oil field laborer and shoe cobbler, and his mother was a waitress at a small restaurant near their home in Marshall, Texas.

Allen traveled extensively throughout South America, Asia, and Europe emphasizing the importance of accident investigation and stressing the need for professionally trained investigators. His organization provided investigative assistance and on-the-scene expertise to numerous countries around the world. In 1966, he traveled to the Soviet Union, for bilateral discussions between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. to initiate air service between the two countries.

Members of CAB Bureau of Safety with Director Bobbie R. Allen, 1965thumb Najeeb Halaby, Bobbie R. Allen, Alan S. Boyd at SASI event 1965 As the first Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Aircraft Accident Investigation School at Oklahoma City, Allen was instrumental in organizing the school where students and investigators from around the world would attend. and a design study titled "Aircraft Design-Induced Pilot Error", both of which were broadly used by the aviation community.

Allen was instrumental in establishing the "Go Team" for catastrophic accident investigations. This "Team Concept" is still used today by the NTSB as well as numerous other nations of the world. In 1967, Allen was a member of the task force which planned the organization and staffing of the Department of Transportation.

Origin of the Aviation Safety Reporting System Jerome F. Lederer presents Flight Safety Foundation's Distinguished Service Award on behalf of the CAB to Director, Bobbie R. Allen in Madrid, 1966 In 1966 – twelve years before the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) was launched – Allen, as Director of the Bureau of Aviation Safety, was advocating the use of computers and the concept of non-punitive incident reporting. In a November 1966 speech at a Flight Safety Foundation seminar in Madrid, Allen stated:

At a 1968 SMU speech in Dallas, Texas, Allen again spoke of using computers for accident prevention:

By mid 1968, due to declining health, Allen had stepped down as Director, but continued efforts to overcome the industry's reluctance to participate. In his role as Special Assistant to the Director, he dedicated much of his time promoting the project. He traveled extensively, wrote documents, gave speeches, and often communicated with industry leaders.

On a December 3, 1969, internal Airlines for America meeting, ARINC (Aeronautical Radio Incorporated) reported to the membership that a majority of the airlines surveyed, had chosen not to participate in the program. After receiving this news, Allen would share the results with NTSB leadership and although they thought there would soon be acceptance, implementation would be stalled for years.

In December 1974, two years after Allen's death at age 50, TWA Flight 514 would crash into a Virginia mountaintop. After investigators learned that similar circumstances had occurred on a United Airlines flight just six weeks earlier a scramble ensued to overcome the public's outcry and in May 1975, the FAA announced the inauguration of a confidential, non-punitive incident reporting scheme. In January 1978, final design review of the system would begin, and the system would be called the Aviation Safety Reporting System.

Allen's work in the mid- to late 1960s laid the groundwork for NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System.

Naval Aviator (1943–1968)

Allen served during WWII in the Pacific theater. He was assigned to Night Fighter Squadron VF-52(N) (Night Mares) flying the Grumman F6F Hellcat from the USS Roi (CVE-103), USS Saratoga (CV-3), USS Corregidor (CVE-58), USS Tripoli (CVE-64), USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31).

In late 1952, Allen was recalled to Active Duty for the Korean War. He was Executive Officer of Night Fighter Squadron VC-4 DET44(N) (the Nightcappers) flying the Douglas F3D Skyknight.

Lt. Allen seen escaping his F3D Skyknight after a Cold Cat Shot aboard the USS Roosevelt in 1953 On March 4, 1953, 100 miles off the coast of Virginia, the "Nightcappers" were training on the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42). On Allen's last of five launches for the day, the ships catapult bridle failed, and his plane rolled forward, too fast to stop, and too slow to fly. He had no choice but to ditch the aircraft. Within seconds, the carrier, cruising at 30 knots, cut the plane in half, just forward of the empennage. Allen climbed out and was hoisted aboard a rescue helicopter, surviving the incident.

Several weeks later, the squadron boarded the USS Lake Champlain (CVA-39) and sailed to Korea where they joined Marine Squadron VMF-513 at K-6 Airbase in Pyeongtaek South Korea providing bomber escort and night combat air patrol over North Korea until late 1953. After returning to the states, Allen would remain on active duty until 1959, when he accepted an Aircraft Accident Investigation position with the Civil Aeronautics Board.

During the Berlin Crisis of 1961, Allen was recalled to active duty, and served as Commanding Officer of VS-721(Eagle Scouts). Based at NAS Whidbey Island Washington, the squadron operated S2F Trackers patrolling waters off the Pacific Northwest coast, searching for Soviet submarines using airborne Anti-Submarine Warfare techniques until August 1962.

From 1963 to 1966, Allen was Aviation Safety Officer of AWS-66 at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. In 1963, he participated in "Global Strategy Discussions" at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, and on March 4, 1966, he was promoted to Captain.

Aviation Qualifications/Certifications All Weather Pilot, Carrier Qualified Day / Night, Single Engine Propeller, Multi Engine-Jet Patrol Plane Commander, Multi-engine Propeller Special Instrument Rating Instrument Check Pilot, Single and Multi-engine, Propeller and Jet Tactics Flt Instructor, Single and Multi-Engine-Propeller, Single Engine Seaplane-Propeller, Multi Engine-Jet Maintenance Officer (Airframe) Operations Officer Aviation Technical Training Officer Type Training Officer Aviation Safety Officer Command at Sea

Military and Civilian Education Location Type Course 1942 Marshall, TX Civilian High School, Graduated 1942 1942–43 Kilgore, TX Civilian Kilgore Jr. College, Navy V-5 Program 1943 Moraga, CA Civilian St. Mary's College, Navy V-5 Program 1944 Pensacola, FL Military U.S. Navy Flight Training, Commissioned Ensign, Designated Naval Aviator 1944 Vero Beach, FL Military Operational Flight Training, Night Fighter-Carrier 1944 Quanset Pt, RI Military Night Attack/Combat Flight Training, Night Fighter-Carrier (NACTU-lant) 1946 Pensacola, FL Military Operational Flight Training, Seaplane Scout/Observation-Cruiser/Battleship 1948 Wichita, KS Civilian University of Kansas, Wichita Extension, Kansas Fire School 1952 Key West, FL Military Navy All Weather Flight School 1955–56 Akron, OH Civilian Night School Student 1957 Los Angeles, CA Civilian Aviation Safety School 1959 Los Alamitos, CA Military Naval Air Electronics Training 1964 Newport, RI Military Senior Reserve Officer's Course, Naval War College

Military Decorations Navy Air Medal National Def Service Medal Korean Service Medal WWII Victory Medal American Campaign Medal Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal China Service Medal Naval Reserve Medal Navy Occupation Service Medal United Nations Korea Medal

Personal life

Bobbie Ray Allen and his wife Arlene, a Nurse in the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps from Akron, Ohio, were married on November 18, 1944, at Vero Beach, Florida. They were each stationed at NAS Pensacola when they happened to meet because of a mail delivery mix-up. After resolving the errant mail issue, the two began dating and within several months, decided to marry. As required by Naval regulation, Mrs. Allen resigned her commission and returned to her home in Akron Ohio where she would wait for Ensign Allen to complete fighter training. During their marriage, they raised five children.