A quality auditor, who flagged defects in the 737 MAX, has sadly passed away after suddenly falling ill
Joshua Dean, a former employee at Spirit AeroSystems who raised concerns over lax standards in the production of Boeing’s 737 MAX jet, has died after suddenly developing breathing problems and severe illness. In March, another Boeing whistleblower was found dead in a hotel parking lot in what authorities tentatively reported as a suicide.
The 45-year-old, who is said to have been in good health and leading a healthy lifestyle, was put on a life-support machine.
In October 2022, Dean said he had uncovered a serious manufacturing flaw in the production of a key component that helps Boeing’s 737 MAX maintain normal pressure. He claimed that management chose to ignore his warnings, after which he filed a complaint with the FAA, alleging “serious and gross misconduct by senior quality management of the 737 production line.”
Spirit AeroSystems fired Dean in April 2023, accusing him of missing another major flaw. The whistleblower then filed a complaint with the Department of Labor, claiming his termination was in retaliation for his revelations.
In March, former Boeing quality manager John Barnett, known for raising concerns about the firm’s production standards, was found dead with a gunshot wound days before he was due to give evidence in a whistleblower lawsuit against the aerospace giant.