A prominent National Transportation Safety Board member who served as the public face of the investigation into last year's deadly midair collision between an airliner and an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C., revealed Sunday that he has been fired by the Trump administration without explanation.
Sudden Termination Notice
Todd Inman stated in a formal announcement that he received notice Friday from the White House personnel office declaring his position on the board "terminated effective immediately." He emphasized that he has not yet received any reason for his abrupt dismissal.
The White House offered no immediate response to messages from The Associated Press seeking comment about the termination. This silence follows a pattern of similar dismissals at independent federal agencies during the current administration.
Board Composition Concerns
The NTSB typically maintains a five-person board, but its website on Sunday displayed only three active members. This reduction follows the abrupt removal last year of the board's vice chair, Alvin Brown, who was fired without clear justification.
Brown and Robert Primus, who served on the U.S. Surface Transportation Board, represented the only Black board members overseeing their respective independent agencies when they were terminated last year. Both men have challenged their firings through legal channels, with the advocacy group Democracy Forward filing discrimination claims on their behalf.
When Brown was dismissed, transportation safety experts expressed astonishment, noting they couldn't recall any similar termination from the NTSB in recent memory. The White House has previously asserted that President Trump acted within his legal authority regarding these firings, claiming performance issues rather than bias motivated the decisions.
Critical Safety Responsibilities
The NTSB holds a crucial congressional mandate to investigate aviation accidents and significant transportation disasters across rail, highway, pipeline, and other sectors. The agency determines probable causes and develops recommendations designed to prevent similar incidents. Currently, the NTSB is actively investigating nearly 1,250 cases nationwide.
Inman served as the lead board member for the investigation into last year's catastrophic UPS cargo plane crash in Kentucky that claimed 15 lives. Following major transportation incidents, the NTSB typically deploys a board member to the crash site for initial briefings and to oversee the preliminary investigation phases.
Recent Major Investigations
The January 2025 midair collision between a passenger jet and Army helicopter that killed 67 people represented one of the deadliest aviation incidents in recent U.S. history. Inman played a central role in this investigation, serving as the board's public representative during the critical early stages.
In his statement, Inman reflected on his experiences, noting that having been the board member on scene "for two of the largest aviation incidents in the past two decades, working with all of the impacted families and first responders has made me appreciate how the original mission of the NTSB is more crucial now than ever before."
He acknowledged the personal toll of witnessing such tragedies, stating: "Witnessing these horrible accidents have undoubtedly taken a toll on me and my family and has changed my perspective in a positive way on how we regulate safety for the traveling public."
Commitment to Nonpartisan Safety
Inman praised the NTSB staff and investigators as "world class" professionals dedicated to transportation safety. He expressed hope that the agency would maintain its independence, writing: "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."
This termination raises significant questions about the stability and independence of federal safety agencies during a period of increased scrutiny of transportation systems. The pattern of unexplained removals at independent agencies continues to generate concern among safety advocates and transportation experts nationwide.
