Joshua Dean, a former quality auditor at Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, died at the age of 45 on Wednesday, a report said. Dean’s death, attributed to a sudden and aggressive infection, follows the death of another Boeing whistleblower, John Barnett, who reportedly died by suicide two months ago.
Dean fell ill just over two weeks ago with breathing difficulties. Despite aggressive medical intervention, including an ECMO machine, Dean struggled for a few days before dying.
Dean was one of the first to raise concerns about Spirit leadership potentially ignoring critical manufacturing flaws in Boeing’s 737 MAX planes. He documented his observations, including improperly drilled holes in the aft pressure bulkhead – a crucial component for maintaining cabin pressure.
Spirit fired Dean in April 2023, an act he believed was retaliation for exposing the plane’s flaws. The timing of Dean’s death is eerily similar to that of Barnett who died by suicide in March while embroiled in a lawsuit alleging retaliation for exposing safety concerns with the 787 Dreamliner.
Last month, Speaking before lawmakers on Capitol Hill, former Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour provided damning testimony, revealing a culture within Boeing that prioritises pushing flawed components despite safety risks.
Salehpour, with 17 years of experience at Boeing, became a whistleblower after facing repercussions for raising safety issues regarding the popular 787 Dreamliner and 777 aircraft. While Boeing acknowledged the existence of imperfections, it assured ongoing efforts toward improvement.
Boeing disputed Salehpour’s claims regarding the Dreamliner’s safety, citing extensive testing that purportedly shows no signs of fatigue.
