Michael Graham Named Vice Chairman

NTSB Press Releases

Published April 3rd, 2026

Detected April 4th, 2026

Summary

The National Transportation Safety Board announced that Member Michael Graham has been designated by President Trump to serve as Vice Chairman for a three-year term. Graham, the 45th NTSB member who took office in January 2020, brings extensive aviation safety experience from his prior role at Textron Aviation. This appointment fills the Vice Chairman position on the five-member board.

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What changed

President Trump designated NTSB Board Member Michael Graham as Vice Chairman for a three-year term. Graham, who previously served as director of flight operations safety at Textron Aviation, has served on scene for several major accident investigations including the 2025 Brooklyn Bridge vessel collision, the 2023 East Palestine train derailment, and the 2022 Wings Over Dallas midair collision. He is a certified airline transport pilot with over 10,000 flight hours.

This is a routine administrative appointment announcement with no compliance deadlines, regulatory requirements, or penalties. No action is required by regulated entities. The appointment has no bearing on existing NTSB investigations or ongoing safety proceedings.

Source document (simplified)

NTSB Member Michael Graham Named Vice Chairman

4/3/2026

Vice Chairman Michael Graham.

WASHINGTON (April 3, 2026) — Michael Graham, the 45th member of the National Transportation Safety Board, was designated by President Trump to serve as NTSB vice chairman for a three-year term.

Graham, who was also appointed as board member by President Trump, took the oath of office on Jan. 3, 2020. Before joining the Board, he served as director of flight operations safety, security and standardization at Textron Aviation, where he oversaw the company’s safety management system, emergency response planning, air safety investigations and airport operations.

“I want to thank the President for this designation, as well as my fellow Board Members and NTSB staff who have supported me throughout my time at the Board,” said Vice Chairman Graham. “I look forward to continuing to serve in this new role and fulfilling the NTSB’s mission of improving safety across all modes of transportation.”

During his tenure on the Board, Graham served as the member on scene for several major accident investigations, including the May 2025 accident involving a Mexican naval vessel striking the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City; the February 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio; the November 2022 Wings Over Dallas midair collision; and the October 2021 MD-87 runway excursion in Brookshire, Texas. Graham also has been a dedicated advocate for advancing connected vehicle technology and reducing distracted driving on our nation’s roads. A pilot by background, he has also played a key role in supporting the NTSB’s efforts to implement flight data monitoring recommendations and to promote the broader adoption of safety management systems (SMS) across all modes of transportation.

Prior to his NTSB service, Graham also served as chairman of the Air Charter Safety Foundation and contributed to safety working groups within the National Business Aviation Association. He received the Flight Safety Foundation’s 2019 Business Aviation Meritorious Service Award.

Graham holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of New Mexico and is a certified airline transport pilot with more than 10,000 flight hours.

See Graham’s full biography for more information.

To report an incident/accident or if you are a public safety agency, please call 1-844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290 to speak to a Watch Officer at the NTSB Response Operations Center (ROC) in Washington, DC (24/7).