National Transportation Safety Board Vice Chairman Michael Graham announced Friday that he will retire effective October 2. A former F/A-18 pilot and top safety official for Textron Aviation, Graham has served on the NTSB board since 2020.
NTSB board members are presidential appointees confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
“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,” said NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy in a statement. “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.”
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Graham is perhaps best remembered as the face of the agency following the 2022 midair collision during the Wings Over Dallas airshow involving a Bell P-63F and the Boeing B-17G Texas Raiders. The airshow, put on by the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), was held at Dallas Executive Airport (KRBD).
The collision took place in front of the grandstands and killed all six people aboard both aircraft. There were no injuries to persons on the ground. Graham was on-site, and during the media briefings he thanked the public for providing the agency with hundreds of photographs and videos of the collision that were to be used in the NTSB investigation.
He is also remembered for overseeing the investigations into the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, in 2023 and a Mexican naval vessel collision with the Brooklyn Bridge in ’25.
Graham was an advocate for deploying connected vehicle technology, efforts to reduce distracted driving, and expanding the adoption of safety management systems (SMS) across all modes of transportation.
“Serving our nation as board member and vice chairman of the NTSB has been one of the greatest honors of my professional career,” said Graham. “I want to thank President Trump for placing his trust and confidence in me for this position, and I am especially grateful for the dedicated safety professionals throughout the NTSB who have helped me fulfill this role. 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.”
