‘Unsolved Death!’ Second Boeing Whistleblower Found Dead Amid 737 MAX Controversy

DEBARYLIFE – Following an unexpected illness, a second Boeing whistleblower passed away.

A former quality inspector for Spirit AeroSystems named Joshua Dean made public allegations that the company’s executives disregarded 737 MAX manufacturing flaws. Spirit AeroSystems is a vendor of Boeing.

Before his “sudden” death on Tuesday due to the development of a rapidly spreading infection, Dean, 45, led an active lifestyle and was thought to be in good condition. According to Fox59, he contracted pneumonia as well as influenza B and MRSA.

The Seattle Times reports that before passing away in Oklahoma on Tuesday, he was in serious condition for two weeks.

Joshua, my charming brother, departed from this life this morning and is now with our younger brother. I’m not sure how much longer my family can tolerate. In a Facebook post, his sister Taylor Rae Roberts said, “I honestly don’t know how much more I can handle.”

“The family of Josh Dean is in our thoughts. Spirit representative Joe Buccino stated, “This sudden loss is stunning news here and for his loved ones.”

After disclosing safety concerns in the aviation manufacturing sector, Wichita resident Dean became the second whistleblower to pass away this year. In March, a hotel parking lot in South Carolina revealed the body of John Barnett, 62, a whistleblower for Boeing, inside his truck.

The whistleblower’s passing is the most recent in a line of events that have occurred over the past year involving the troubled Boeing. The FAA grounded all 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft in January after the door plug on an Alaska Airlines aircraft blew out in midair. This action sparked an investigation.

Shortly after, at least four people—including the two now-dead whistleblowers—came forward with claims that safety concerns were being created by manufacturing process shortcuts in the jets. The CEO of Boeing, Dave Calhoun, announced in March that he would retire at the end of the year following the disarray. For the first quarter of 2024, Boeing declared a net loss of $355 million.

Joshua Dean spoke forward to bring up the subject of airplane safety. He filed a complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) alleging that there had been “serious and gross misconduct by senior quality management of the 737 production line” at Spirit.

Additionally, he provided testimony in a December 2023 shareholder case brought against Spirit AeroSystems. The shareholders claimed that Spirit “hid from investors that Spirit suffered from widespread and sustained quality failures” and that the company’s pursuit of profits was the reason for these “quality failures,” according to Supply Chain Dive.

“Spirit’s culture, which prioritized production numbers and short-term financial outcomes over product quality, and Spirit’s related failure to hire sufficient personnel to deliver quality products at the rates demanded by Spirit and its customers, including Boeing,” the plaintiffs claimed, contributed to the ongoing quality failures.

Spirit AeroSystems was placed on probation by Boeing from 2018 until at least 2021 for such “quality failures,” which forbade the supplier from supplying parts to Boeing without managerial clearance, according to the lawsuit.

Dean claimed to have been sacked in January after pointing out that holes in plane fuselages had been drilled incorrectly to the Wall Street Journal. After being let go from Spirit Aerosystems in April 2023, he claimed that his dismissal was motivated by revenge.

Dean stated, “It’s a known fact at Spirit that if you create too much disturbance and noise, you will be moved.” They don’t want you to locate everything and document it, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore anything entirely.

Spirit AeroSystems informed the Wall Street Journal that it will take legal action to refute Dean’s portrayal of the company.

Several family members of Dean expressed their sorrow on social media. On April 20, Dean’s aunt Jenny Dean posted a message from his mother Ginger Green, stating that he was in the hospital “fighting for his life” after receiving an influenza B and MRSA diagnosis.

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“My son is battling for his survival. He tested positive for MRSA, which led to pneumonia, and influenza B. His virus entered his circulation and permeated every part of his body. They had to intubate him because his lungs are whited out,” Dean’s mother wrote.

“His condition worsened and he needed to be transferred to a hospital in Oklahoma City … he is on dialysis too because he has so much fluid throughout his body and they say that his kidneys and liver aren’t doing well.”

While not wishing to comment on the circumstances surrounding his client’s passing, his lawyer, Brian Knowles, emphasized to The Seattle Times how important whistleblowers are.

We require whistleblowers. They expose corruption and misconduct in the service of the public good. To stand up, Mr. Knowles added, requires a great deal of bravery. “These are challenging conditions. Right now, Josh and John’s families are in our hearts.

Barnett, who had testified in a lawsuit against Boeing before his death and had spoken out about purported safety issues at the corporation, was also represented by the lawyer. Barnett alleged that Boeing intentionally used defective parts in its planes and warned that passengers on its 787 Dreamliner might face a lack of oxygen if a sudden decompression occurred.

Barnett was a former quality control engineer and spent 32 years at Boeing until his retirement for health reasons in March 2017.

Barnett gave his initial testimony just days before he was found dead in March at a hotel in Charleston. His death appeared to be from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Charleston County coroner told BBC News.