NTSB Member Fired by Trump Administration Without Explanation

Todd Inman says he was terminated from his position on the safety board effective immediately.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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A National Transportation Safety Board member who was involved in high-profile investigations, including last year's deadly midair collision near Washington, D.C., said he was fired by the Trump administration without explanation. Todd Inman received notice on Friday that his position on the NTSB board was terminated effective immediately, though he was not given a reason for his dismissal.

Why it matters

The NTSB is an independent agency tasked by Congress with investigating major transportation accidents to determine their causes and make safety recommendations. Inman's firing raises concerns about potential political interference in the NTSB's work, which is meant to be free from outside influence.

The details

Inman was a public face of the NTSB's investigation into the January 2025 midair collision between a passenger jet and an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C. that killed 67 people. He was also the lead board member on the investigation into a 2025 UPS cargo plane crash in Kentucky that killed 15 people. In his statement, Inman praised the NTSB staff and investigators as "world class" and expressed hope that the agency would "stay true to its roots and culture as the preeminent safety organization unimpeded by political or personal agendas."

  • Inman received notice of his termination on Friday, March 6, 2026.
  • The January 2025 midair collision that Inman investigated occurred nearly a year prior to his firing.

The players

Todd Inman

A former member of the National Transportation Safety Board who was involved in high-profile accident investigations, including the 2025 midair collision near Washington, D.C. and a 2025 UPS cargo plane crash in Kentucky.

Trump administration

The presidential administration of former President Donald Trump, which terminated Inman's position on the NTSB without explanation.

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What they’re saying

“My only hope is that the NTSB leadership and those who control it stay true to its roots and culture as the preeminent safety organization unimpeded by political or personal agendas.”

— Todd Inman, Former NTSB Member

What’s next

Inman has not yet received an explanation for his termination from the White House. The NTSB website currently shows only three active board members, down from the usual five, following the abrupt removal of two other board members last year.

The takeaway

Inman's firing raises concerns about potential political interference in the NTSB's independent investigations, which are meant to be free from outside influence. The dismissal of multiple NTSB board members in recent years suggests a troubling pattern that could undermine the agency's critical safety mission.