NBAA Marks Passing of Former NTSB Vice Chair Robert Francis

Contact: Dan Hubbard, 202-783-9360, dhubbard@nbaa.org

Washington, DC, April 28, 2021 – National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen today 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.

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Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. The association represents more than 11,000 company and professional members and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), the world’s largest civil aviation trade show. Learn more about NBAA at nbaa.org.

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