NTSB Board Member Terminated Without Cause by Trump Administration

Key Details NTSB member Todd Inman announced March 8 that he was fired by the Trump administration effective immediately on March 6. Inman received termination notice from the White House personnel office but has not been given any explanation for his removal. Why It Matters Inman was a visible figure in two major aviation investigations: the January 2025 midair collision between a passenger jet and Army helicopter near Washington D.C. that killed 67 people, and the 2024 UPS cargo plane crash in Kentucky that killed 15 people. His expertise and on-scene presence during major incidents was critical to initial investigation oversight. Broader Pattern This firing reduces the NTSB's five-person board to just three active members. Last year, NTSB Vice Chair Alvin Brown was also removed. Both Brown and Robert Primus, a Surface Transportation Board member, were the only Black board members at their respective agencies when terminated. Both have challenged their firings in court, with Democracy Forward filing discrimination claims on their behalf. Agency Mission Impact The NTSB is currently investigating nearly 1,250 cases involving aviation, rail, highway, pipeline and other disasters. Inman emphasized in his statement that the agency's original safety mission is more crucial than ever, praising the NTSB's world-class staff and investigators.