A second Boeing whistleblower who exposed alleged manufacturing defects with the company's airplanes has suddenly died, just two months after another worker was found dead in the midst of giving a deposition in his whistleblower retaliation case.
Joshua Dean, a former quality auditor at Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, has died on April 30 after contracting a sudden, fast-spreading infection, the Seattle Times reported, citing Dean's aunt.
According to the report, Dean, a Wichita resident in his mid-40s, died two weeks after he went to the hospital because he was having trouble breathing. He tested positive for influenza B and then contracted a MRSA bacterial infection that turned into pneumonia, his aunt told the outlet.
Dean had alleged that Spirit failed to address defects of the 737 Max on the Boeing production line. According to the Times, "Dean had given a deposition in a Spirit shareholder lawsuit and also filed a complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration alleging 'serious and gross misconduct by senior quality management of the 737 production line.'"
After being fired by Spirit last April, Dean filed a complaint with the Department of Labor "alleging his termination was in retaliation for raising concerns related to aviation safety," per the Times. According to the report, Dean found that mechanics were improperly drilling holes in the aft pressure bulkhead of the MAX.
Dean is the second Boeing whistleblower to die in the past few months, following the death of John Barnett in March.
Barnett, 62, was found dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot ound, outside a hotel in Charleston, South Carolina, a day after he testified about safety issues at Boeing that he first raised in 2017. Barnett's death came as he was in the process of giving a deposition in his whistleblower retaliation case, which attorneys say was nearly complete. His body was found after he failed to appear for a legal interview in the case.
Barnett had worked for Boeing for over three decades until he retired in 2017, alleging that Boeing retaliated against him for exposing unsafe production practices in the making of its 787 Dreamliner, which were allegedly fitted with sub-standard parts. He also pointed out issues with the emergency oxygen systems not working correctly, citing a failure rate of 25%.
Barnett allegedly reported the issues to management, but no action was taken. After leaving the company, he shared his claims with the media. He also engaged in a long-running legal battle with Boeing, claiming the company had damaged his reputation. A hearing on Barnett's whistleblower complaint with the government was scheduled for June.
Barnett's death remains under investigation.
Boeing has denied Barnett's claims.