Boeing under fire again as whistleblower Joshua Dean dies at 45

Joshua Dean has passed away. For years, he had been highlighting wrongdoings in the production of Boeing aeroplanes, placing the company under considerable scrutiny. Dean is the second whistleblower from the company to die this year at the age of 45.

Dean was employed as a quality auditor at Spirit AeroSystems, a key supplier for Boeing. He once lodged a grievance with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) over quality concerns while manufacturing the 737 Max aeroplanes.

He pointed out "serious and glaring abuses in quality management on the 737 production line" at Spirit AeroSystems. These events unfolded following the tragic crashes of two 737 Max aeroplanes in 2018 and 2019, which claimed the lives of 346 individuals.

Spirit dismissed Dean last year. In retaliation, he filed a complaint with the Department of Labor, asserting that his termination was due to safety concerns.

As the Seattle Times reported, Dean was admitted to hospital with severe breathing problems. His condition was so critical that he had to be intubated. He later developed pneumonia and a serious infection, and two weeks thereafter, he succumbed to his illnesses.

"He passed away yesterday morning, and he will be profoundly missed. We will always love you," his aunt, Carol Dean Parsons, wrote on Facebook.

The same law firm represented Dean as another Boeing whistleblower, John "Mitch" Barnett. Barnett devoted 32 years of his career to Boeing, serving in various roles including as a quality manager on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner programme.

In 2019, Barnett revealed to the "New York Times" his discovery of "groups of metal shavings" over flight control wiring, expressing concern over their potential to cause "catastrophic" damage. He accused the management of ignoring his warnings, resulting in his reassignment to a different department.

John Barnett passed away in March 2024. He was found deceased in his car in a hotel car park. The coroner preliminarily concluded that there was no third-party involvement - it is believed he sadly took his own life by gunshot.

Recently, another Boeing whistleblower, Sam Salehpour, addressed Congress, sharing that Boeing lacks a safety culture, stating that employees raising issues were "ignored, marginalized, intimidated, and sidelined". Following these remarks, he voiced concerns for his own security.

Following the calamities involving two 737 MAX 8 airplanes, resulting in 346 fatalities, Boeing has encountered numerous challenges. Subsequent investigations unearthed various irregularities in both the production and certification processes of these aircraft.

Since these incidents, Boeing has been endeavouring to restore faith in its products, quality standards, and procedural compliance.