Boeing Whistleblower John Barnett Found Dead Amid Depositions Against Plane Company
Sub-headline: Former Quality Auditor at Boeing Supplier Joshua Dean Also Recently Deceased
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Former quality auditor at Boeing Co. Supplier Joshua Dean, who raised concerns about the safety of the 737 Max jet, has died shortly after Boeing whistleblower John Barnett passed away. Barnett had warned of manufacturing defects in the 737 Max, which was involved in two fatal crashes that killed 346 people. The deaths of Dean and Barnett have raised questions about the safety culture at Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) oversight of the company.
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Dean had warned Boeing about potential safety hazards in the 737 Max's design, but his concerns were allegedly ignored. He filed a lawsuit against the company in 2020, alleging that he was fired in retaliation for raising these concerns. Barnett, a former Boeing engineer, had also provided information to the FAA about potential safety issues in the 737 Max. He had testified before Congress in 2019 about his concerns, and was in the process of giving depositions against Boeing at the time of his death.
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The deaths of Dean and Barnett have prompted calls for increased oversight of Boeing and the FAA. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called for a "full and independent investigation" into the deaths and any potential cover-ups at Boeing or the FAA. The FAA has said that it is "deeply concerned" about the deaths and is working with law enforcement to investigate the circumstances surrounding them.
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