Erik T. Rigler

Erik Thomas Rigler is president and an "aircraft accident, safety & security investigator and instructor" at San Antonio, Texas-based investigative firm G Force, Inc. Rigler "flew as a Naval Aviator in patrol, carrier-based and training aircraft" and "retired in 1994 after twenty-three years as an FBI agent."

FBI witness/investigations of al Qaeda
An August 2007 action filed against the FBI by several airlines in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York seeks the testimony of current and former FBI agents, including Rigler, because "Each of these witnesses participated in FBI investigations of al-Qaeda and al-Qaeda operatives, both before and after September 11, 2001, and, as a result they have first-hand knowledge of al-Qaeda's operations and the means by which the terrorist group executed the September 11 attacks."

9/11 World Trade Center collapse
On September 12, 2001, Rigler was quoted in a now archived news report as saying that the planes that struck the World Trade Center "were probably traveling at 250 to 300 mph".

Rathergate
In 2004, Rigler was the private investigator employed by "the New York-based corporate investigative group" SafirRosetti, a firm "founded by former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's ex-police commissioner, Howard Safir ." hired by CBS to "track down the source of the troublesome documents" regarding George W. Bush's military service.

Zacarias Moussaoui
In 2006, Rigler testified as a defense witness as an "aviation security expert" in the death-penalty case of alleged terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui.

Profiles
The following is according to Rigler's G Force, Inc., profile:

Professional Memberships
 * International Society of Air Safety Investigators (ISASI)
 * Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association
 * National Association of Flight Instructors
 * Flight Safety Foundation
 * National Transportation Safety Board Bar Association
 * Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
 * Helicopter Association International
 * Naval Aviation Museum Foundation
 * Soaring Society of America
 * Experimental Aircraft Association

Education
 * University of North Texas, B.A.
 * Sam Houston State University, M.A.
 * Aviation Safety Program – School of Engineering, University of Southern California
 * Southern California Safety Institute - Helicopter Accident Investigation, Gas Turbine Accident Investigation, Human Factors for Accident Investigators
 * Howell Enterprises – Mitsubishi MU-2 Training
 * National Transportation Safety Board Academy - Investigating Human Fatigue Factors, Cognitive Interviewing

Contact information
711 Lone Circle, Suite G San Antonio, TX 78258-6412 Phone: 800 763-5799 E-mail: erik AT gforceinc.com Web: http://www.gforceinc.com/index.htm

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Rathergate: Sumner M. Redstone, George W. Bush & CBS

External articles

 * Master Instructors, NAFI, April 2003.
 * "Defence gets its say in Moussaoui trial," BreakingNews (Ireland), March 27, 2006.
 * "Sneaks on a Plane. Airport security is tough on passengers—but does it make the friendly skies safer?" Salt Lake City Weekly, June 7, 2007.
 * Joseph Cannon, "Rather interesting," Cannonfire Blogspot, September 20, 2007.
 * Byron York, "Dan Rather’s Conspiracy Theory. The former anchorman alleges CBS shut him up to protect George W. Bush," National Review Online, September 20, 2007.
 * Eli, "The Rather Lather," Firedoglake Blog, September 21, 2007.