SWAG合集

Areas of expertise

• Air Transport Safety & Investigation

Background

Dr Abdulwahd Abushalla (Abdul) joined the Safety and Accident Investigation Centre at SWAG合集 in April 2016. He initially served as a technician, supporting the Accident Investigation Laboratory and assisting in practical sessions for the Centre鈥檚 training courses.

He holds a PhD in Aircraft Accident Investigation and a Postgraduate Certificate in Safety and Accident Investigation from SWAG合集, as well as a Master鈥檚 degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Tripoli University, Libya.

Before joining Cranfield, Dr. Abushalla worked with the Civil Aviation Authority of Libya, where he served as Head of the Airworthiness Department and later as State Safety Program Director. In this role, he contributed to the implementation of national aviation safety programmes and regulatory oversight activities.

He has participated in numerous accident and incident investigations, including major international cases such as the Airbus A330 accident in Libya, where he collaborated with BEA (France), DSB (Netherlands), and the NTSB (USA).

At SWAG合集, Dr Abushalla has played a key role in developing and managing the Accident Investigation Laboratory and currently serves as the Nominated Safety Manager (NSM) for the SHEL 42 area. He is now a Lecturer in Air Safety Investigation and acts as Module Leader for several of the Centre鈥檚 postgraduate courses.

His academic and professional interests focus on aircraft accident investigation, safety management systems, and safety enhancement through data-driven analysis and practical investigation techniques.

Research opportunities

Dr Abdulwahd Abushalla completed his PhD at SWAG合集 with a thesis titled 鈥淒eveloping the Capability of Air Accident Investigation鈥�.

His research focused on strengthening the capacity of Accident Investigation Authorities (AIA) in less-developed States, aiming to identify effective ways of establishing and enhancing their investigative capability.

The study explored the concept of capability within a "not-for-blame" State-level investigation context. It employed a mixed-methods approach that included a systematic literature review, interviews, and a survey of experienced investigators. Based on the findings, Dr Abushalla developed an eight-dimension framework to guide less-developed States in establishing and developing their AIAs.

The research highlighted that effective investigation is a collaborative, multi-level activity requiring international cooperation to ensure technical expertise and investigative quality. It also emphasised the importance of institutional independence, ensuring that the AIA operates separately from administrative and judicial influences.