Francis Served On The Board Until 1999

NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen has marked the recent passing of Robert T. (Bob) Francis, former vice chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Francis died April 17 at the age of 83.

“Throughout his distinguished career, Bob Francis remained committed to improving the safety of our nation’s aviation industry, and his work drove several laudable changes toward that goal,” Bolen said. “We join with his family and his many friends in mourning his loss.”

Appointed to the NTSB in 1995, Francis played integral roles in the investigations of the May 1996 downing of ValuJet Flight 592, and the July 1996 loss of TWA Flight 800. He served on the board until 1999.

Prior to joining the NTSB, Francis held several positions with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), including as the agency’s senior representative in Western Europe and North Africa.

He was part of the U.S. team that aided the investigation into the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.

Francis later served on the Board of Governors at Flight Safety Foundation for 10 years before retiring in 2015. He was also among the founders of the Washington, DC branch of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov, www.nbaa.org