NTSB Vice Chair Michael Graham To Retire October 2

National Transportation Safety Board vice chairman Michael Graham is retiring on October 2 after serving with the agency since 2020. The announcement of Graham’s retirement comes less than four months after the U.S. Senate confirmed him for another term that was to extend through the end of 2030. It also follows, by less than five months, the announcement that he was appointed to fill the vice chairman’s role.

Revered within the industry, Graham came to the Board with a substantial military, business aviation, and safety background. He joined the Board after serving as director of flight operations safety, security, and standardization at Textron Aviation, overseeing safety management systems, emergency response planning, air safety investigations, and airport operations. A former naval aviator, he was also active in business aviation organizations, including as an Air Charter Safety Foundation chairman and on safety committees at NBAA.

While with the Board, he continued his push to elevate safety within the business aviation realm, serving as a frequent speaker at events such as the Air Charter Safety Foundation’s Safety Symposium and the Flight Safety Foundation’s Business Aviation Safety Summit to highlight concerns that had cropped up from investigation findings. He stressed the need for upholding the highest standards, pointing out that even minor events can shake public trust, whether they involve business aviation or not.

But his work on the Board carried a breadth of activity, including serving as the member on scene for the 2022 Wings Over Dallas midair collision; the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio; and the 2025 accident involving a Mexican naval vessel striking the Brooklyn Bridge, among others.

In announcing his planned retirement, the Safety Board noted his advocacy for connected vehicle technology, initiatives to reduce distracted driving, and safety management systems across all transportation modes. 

He has also expressed frustration about a rush to judgment that occurs after an accident by people who are outside of the investigatory process, particularly on social media. Citing the Jan. 29, 2025 midair collision outside Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) as an example, he said, “About an hour, maybe less, anymore, that the major media is all over this, and they have all their experts on camera right away…They’ve already solved it for you without any of the evidence, maybe just one videotape, and they’ve already got it figured out, and they’re already placing blame or fault on somebody.”

NTSB chairwoman Jennifer Homendy lauded Graham’s work on the Board. “Mike’s integrity, hard work, and passion for safety made him an incredible asset to the NTSB, and I am deeply grateful for his service,” she said. “This is a job in which tragedy and loss are part of our daily work, and Mike’s commitment to the NTSB’s mission, expertise, and coolness under pressure will be missed. I wish him and his family all the best in his retirement.”

“Serving our nation as a Board member and vice chairman of the NTSB has been one of the greatest honors of my professional career,” Graham said. “As I conclude my federal service and begin my retirement, I do so with immense pride in what has been accomplished and with confidence in the continued strength and importance of the NTSB’s safety mission.”