of Clinton, AR

September 20, 1947 - May 15, 2010

James E. Burnett, Jr.
September 20, 1947 May 15, 2010

Jim Burnett, 62, a national leader on transportation safety issues, died on May 15, 2010, in Clinton, Arkansas, from complications related to diabetes. He was attended by family and friends. Mr. Burnett was born on September 20, 1947, in Little Rock, Arkansas, to James E. Burnett, Sr. and Hazel Baker Burnett.
Mr. Burnett, a lawyer for over 35 years, was a graduate of the University of Arkansas School of Law, and was admitted to the Bar of Arkansas in 1973. His law practice in Clinton was interrupted by periods of public service, most notably, service as a Member and Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board from 1981-1991. The NTSB is an independent federal agency charged by Congress with investigating accidents in civil aviation and other modes of transportation, including highways and railroads, and responsible for issuing safety recommendations to avoid future accidents. Mr. Burnett was appointed to the NTSB by President Ronald Reagan and confirmed by the United States Senate.
In addition to NTSB accident investigations, Mr. Burnett was active in implementing transportation safety policies related to drug and alcohol abuse. Mr. Burnett successfully led the campaign to raise the minimum drinking age to 21 across the nation, a policy estimated to have saved over 20,000 lives. Following the derailment of a hazardous materials railroad train in Livingston, Louisiana in 1982, Mr. Burnett led efforts to establish federal rules addressing intoxication of railroad workers, which eventually led to drug and alcohol testing for all transportation workers. In 1986, First Lady Nancy Reagan presented Mr. Burnett the National Commission Against Drunk Driving Award in recognition of his leadership of the NTSB's efforts to reduce the threat of alcohol abuse to the safety of the nation's transportation system. In aviation matters, Mr. Burnett's efforts were successful in obtaining rules to require airlines to avoid deadly microburst windshear storms and to require the use of aviation collision avoidance systems. In addition, under Mr. Burnett's leadership, ground collision avoidance systems were required of regional airlines. Each of these efforts led to virtual elimination of significant categories of aviation accidents.
During his tenure as Chairman of the NTSB, Mr. Burnett chaired week-long public hearings on 18 major transportation accidents and safety issues. He testified more than 70 times before committees of the Congress, and 20 times before state legislatures on transportation safety issues. He also testified before the Canadian House of Commons on legislation which resulted in the establishment of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. In 1994, the IREI Air Safety Foundation of Japan dedicated a monument in Mr. Burnett's honor near the site of a 1985 Japan Airlines crash in Japan. The "Burnett Memorial" recognized Mr. Burnett's worldwide leadership in aviation safety and accident prevention. In 1996, NASA and the United States Space Foundation chose Mr. Burnett for induction into the Space Technology Hall of Fame for his promotion of the fire resistant air craft seat, a space program originated technology. The implementation of this seat is estimated to save an average of 20 lives per year in civil aviation. In 2000, Mr. Burnett was inducted into the Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame.
Mr. Burnett graduated from Clinton High School and was awarded its Distinguished Alumnus Award. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Arkansas in 1970, and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Sigma Alpha. He is a 1973 graduate of the University of Arkansas School of Law, and is an alumnus of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Mr. Burnett began his public service in 1967 as an intern for United States Congressman John Paul Hammerschmidt of the Third District of Arkansas, later became a staff member for Congressman Hammerschmidt, and enjoyed a lifelong association with the Congressman.
Mr. Burnett was elected Municipal Judge for the City of Clinton and for Van Buren County in 1974. He was, at that time, the youngest Judge in the State of Arkansas. He also served as Juvenile Judge for Van Buren County and City Judge for Damascus, Arkansas. He was appointed on several occasions by Governor Mike Huckabee to serve as Special Circuit Judge and as a Special Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court. He also served as City Prosecutor for Clinton, Arkansas, and has served the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas as a Commissioner and as Foreman of the Grand Jury. After leaving federal government service in 1991, Mr. Burnett returned to practice law in his home town, and continued his practice until his recent retirement. He also continued to provide expert comment and consultation upon transportation safety issues on a national basis. Mr. Burnett served as a consultant to NBC-MSNBC News and regularly provided commentary on high visibility accidents. He appeared frequently on network and cable television programs, commenting on transportation safety matters.
Mr. Burnett served as a member of the Board of Governors of the Arkansas Bar Association, and was a member of its Association Task Force on Attorney-Client Privilege. He was also a member of the American Bar Association and an Associate Member of the Lawyer Pilot's Bar Association. He was Chairman of the Board of Advisors of the Southern California Safety Institute for which he taught courses in advanced accident investigation and safety decision making. He served on the Executive Committee of the International Aircraft Cabin Safety & Health Symposium. Mr. Burnett was a member of the Board of Directors of Vision Technologies, Inc., a corporation which develops and markets miniature constant focus cameras, along with fiber optic and digital technology for use in maritime, aviation, and other transportation and security applications. Its principal customer is the United States Navy. Mr. Burnett was a member of the International Society of Air Safety Investigators, the National Association of Railroad Safety Consultants & Investigators, the Air Traffic Control Association, Inc., and the American Society for Quality.
Mr. Burnett was a life-long Republican and, at the time of his death, was the Republican National Committeeman for Arkansas and a member of the Rules Committee of the Republican National Committee. He was a member of the Executive Committee of the Arkansas Republican Party and served as General Counsel of the Republican Party of Arkansas and a member of its Rules Committee. He chaired several Republican State Conventions. Mr. Burnett attended his first Republican National Convention in 1960 when he was twelve years old, upon an invitation of the Executive Committee of the Arkansas Republican Party extended to him after an address he made to that group. He attended every Republican National Convention thereafter, and was a member of the National Convention Rules Committee in 1980. Mr. Burnett was legal counsel to the successful gubernatorial campaign of Frank White, who defeated then incumbent Governor Bill Clinton in 1980. He also was Arkansas Co-Chair of the 1992 re-election campaign of President George H. Bush, and managed the 1992 campaign of Ed Bethune for Arkansas Attorney General.
Mr. Burnett was active in the Arkansas 4-H Foundation, serving on its Board of Directors, and on the Van Buren County 4-H Foundation. He also served on the Van Buren County Hospital Board of Governors, and was Chairman of the Clinton, Arkansas Airport Commission.
Mr. Burnett was a member of the congregation of the Church of Christ at Choctaw, Arkansas, where he taught the Wednesday night Adult Bible Class for a number of years.
Mr. Burnett was preceded in death by his grandparents, James S. and Georgia Mae Kinder Burnett of Clinton, and J.W. and Hazel Glidewell Baker of Ferndale, and by his father James E. Burnett, Sr., and two aunts, Martha Coulter and Carol Tremmel Fitzgibbon. Mr. Burnett is survived by his mother, Hazel Baker Burnett of Clinton, his sister, Jo-Beth Shaw of Springdale, Arkansas, and her husband Rev. Tom Shaw, and his two nephews and a niece, Derek Thomas Shaw of Clinton, Nathan Luke Shaw, currently serving with the United States Army at Fort Richardson, Alaska, and Kati Beth Scott and her husband Donnie Scott of Dahlonega, Georgia, and a cousin, Baker Coulter from Crossett. He is also survived by his five godchildren, Mary McDonald Kindelt and her husband Nicholas Kindelt of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Jamie McDonald of Washington, D.C., Emerson Aguilera of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Emily McDonald of Los Angeles, California, and Katherine McDonald of Washington, D.C., and by many extended family members and long-time friends.
Mr. Burnett's pallbearers will be: Marguerite Chapman; Ann Clemmer; Jim Collom; Vicky D'Onofrio; David Davies; Merl Eoff; Jamie Evans; Herb Fendley; Matthew Furman; John Arthur Hammerschmidt; John Paul Hammerschmidt; Sue Kid; Sid King; Fritz Kronberger; George Lease; Gen. Bill Lefler; Richard McCormac; Jamie McDonald; Gene McKissic; Emma Smiley; Jeff Smith; Mike Spades; Shane Tharp; John Gary Tomlinson; and Kenny Whillock.
Visitation will be held at the Fellowship Hall of the Choctaw Church of Christ from 1:00 8:00 p.m. on May 19, 2010. The funeral service will be held at the Choctaw Church of Christ on May 20, 2010, beginning at 2:00 p.m. Interment will follow thereafter at a graveside service at the Clinton Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, a contribution in Mr. Burnett's memory to the favorite charity of the donor is suggested.
Funeral Arrangements are under the care and direction of Roller-McNutt Funeral Home of Clinton, Arkansas. (501) 745-2151
Online guest book: www.rollerfuneralhomes.com

Obituary Provided By:
Roller-McNutt Funeral Home
Highway 65 South
Clinton, AR  72031
www.rollerfuneralhomes.com