WASHINGTON, Sept 11 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump

is nominating an American Airlines ( AAL ) pilot and safety

official to serve on the National Transportation Safety Board,

according to Senate records.

John DeLeeuw, managing director of safety and efficiency for

American Airlines ( AAL ) and a Boeing 787 captain, has been named to

fill the seat of Alvin Brown, an appointee of the Biden

administration who was dismissed by the White House in May.

The NTSB investigates all civil aviation accidents and

significant highway, marine, pipeline and rail accidents. It

determines the probable cause of accidents and makes safety

recommendations.

"John's going to be an excellent addition to the board, if

confirmed. We're very excited about the nomination, and we'll be

working with him through the process," NTSB Chair Jennifer

Homendy said in an interview.

There has been heightened concern about aviation safety in

the U.S. following the January 29 mid-air collision of a U.S.

Army helicopter and an American Airlines ( AAL ) regional jet that

killed 67.

Other incidents also have raised alarm, including a string

of near-miss incidents around the country and equipment and air

traffic control staffing problems disrupted hundreds of flights

at Newark Liberty International Airport near New York City. A

close call on May 1 near the Pentagon in Washington forced two

civilian planes to abort landings.

A law signed by President Donald Trump in July approved

$12.5 billion for air traffic control improvements, including $2

billion for the first new en-route air traffic center since the

1960s.

Trump also is nominating Surface Transportation Board

member Michelle Schultz for a new term and Richard Kloster, who

heads a private transportation consulting company, to an open

seat at the agency, which is considering the proposed $85

billion merger of Union Pacific ( UNP ) and Norfolk Southern ( NSC )

.

The White House last month fired Surface Transportation Board

member Robert Primus, who had been appointed by the Biden

administration.