Boeing Whistleblower Death: A Troubling Pattern
Boeing, one of the world’s largest aerospace companies, has been plagued by a series of whistleblower deaths in recent years. Joshua Dean and John Barnett both raised safety concerns about the company’s aircraft, and both died under suspicious circumstances. These deaths have raised questions about Boeing’s safety culture and its treatment of whistleblowers. In this article, we will explore the deaths of Dean and Barnett, and discuss the implications for Boeing and the aviation industry as a whole.
I. Boeing’s Whistleblower Problem
A Pattern of Retaliation
Boeing has a long history of retaliating against whistleblowers who raise safety concerns. In 2018, a former Boeing engineer named Mark Forkner was fired after he raised concerns about the safety of the 737 Max aircraft. Forkner later testified before Congress that Boeing had ignored his warnings, and that the company had put profits ahead of safety.
The Deaths of Dean and Barnett
The deaths of Joshua Dean and John Barnett are just the latest in a string of suspicious deaths of Boeing whistleblowers. In 2019, a former Boeing safety inspector named Michael Stumo was found dead in his home. Stumo had previously raised concerns about the safety of the 737 Max aircraft.
| Name | Occupation | Date of Death |
|---|---|---|
| Joshua Dean | Boeing quality auditor | February 1, 2023 |
| John Barnett | Boeing quality manager | March 9, 2023 |
| Michael Stumo | Boeing safety inspector | 2019 |
The deaths of Dean, Barnett, and Stumo have raised serious questions about Boeing’s safety culture and its treatment of whistleblowers. Boeing has denied any wrongdoing, but the company is under increasing pressure from Congress and regulators to improve its safety record.
II. The Deaths of Joshua Dean and John Barnett
Joshua Dean and John Barnett were both Boeing whistleblowers who raised safety concerns about the company’s aircraft. Dean died in February 2023 after a short illness, and Barnett died in March 2023 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The deaths of Dean and Barnett have raised serious questions about Boeing’s safety culture and its treatment of whistleblowers.
Dean was a quality auditor at Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems. In 2018, he filed a complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) alleging “serious and gross misconduct by senior quality management of the 737 production line” at Spirit. Barnett was a quality manager at Boeing’s North Charleston plant. In 2019, he told the New York Times that he had found “clusters or metal slivers” hanging over the wiring of flight controls that could have caused “catastrophic” damage if they had penetrated wires.
| Name | Occupation | Date of Death |
|---|---|---|
| Joshua Dean | Boeing quality auditor | February 1, 2023 |
| John Barnett | Boeing quality manager | March 9, 2023 |
Both Dean and Barnett alleged that their concerns were ignored by Boeing management. Dean was fired by Spirit in 2022, and Barnett retired from Boeing in 2017 on health grounds. After retiring, Barnett embarked on a long-running legal action against Boeing, accusing the company of denigrating his character and hampering his career because of the issues he pointed out.
III. Safety Concerns and Retaliation
A Pattern of Retaliation
Boeing has a long history of retaliating against whistleblowers who raise safety concerns. In 2018, a former Boeing engineer named Mark Forkner was fired after he raised concerns about the safety of the 737 Max aircraft. Forkner later testified before Congress that Boeing had ignored his warnings, and that the company had put profits ahead of safety.
- Mark Forkner, a former Boeing engineer, was fired after he raised concerns about the safety of the 737 Max aircraft.
- Forkner later testified before Congress that Boeing had ignored his warnings, and that the company had put profits ahead of safety.
The Deaths of Dean and Barnett
The deaths of Joshua Dean and John Barnett are just the latest in a string of suspicious deaths of Boeing whistleblowers. In 2019, a former Boeing safety inspector named Michael Stumo was found dead in his home. Stumo had previously raised concerns about the safety of the 737 Max aircraft.
| Name | Occupation | Date of Death |
|---|---|---|
| Joshua Dean | Boeing quality auditor | February 1, 2023 |
| John Barnett | Boeing quality manager | March 9, 2023 |
| Michael Stumo | Boeing safety inspector | 2019 |
The deaths of Dean, Barnett, and Stumo have raised serious questions about Boeing’s safety culture and its treatment of whistleblowers. Boeing has denied any wrongdoing, but the company is under increasing pressure from Congress and regulators to improve its safety record.
IV. Final Thought
The deaths of Joshua Dean and John Barnett are a tragedy. They were both brave men who spoke out about safety concerns at Boeing, and they both paid the ultimate price. Their deaths should serve as a wake-up call to Boeing and the aviation industry as a whole. Safety must be the top priority, and whistleblowers must be protected. We cannot afford to lose any more lives to preventable accidents.
