Former Boeing Whistleblower Found Dead

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John Barnett, a former Boeing employee known for raising concerns about the firm’s production standards, was found dead in the US two days ago. Barnett, who worked for Boeing for more than 30 years before retiring in 2017, had been giving evidence in a whistleblower lawsuit against the company in the days leading up to his death.

About John Barnett

Barnett served as a quality manager at the North Charleston plant, where the 787 Dreamliner was manufactured. In 2019, he revealed that workers under pressure had been deliberately fitting sub-standard parts to aircraft on the assembly line. He also uncovered serious issues with oxygen systems, suggesting that one in four breathing masks could fail during an emergency.

The Whistleblower Lawsuit

Barnett accused Boeing of rushing the assembly process and compromising safety, an assertion the company denied. The former quality control manager claimed that defective components went missing as workers failed to adhere to tracking procedures. He also alleged that sub-standard parts were occasionally retrieved from scrap bins to prevent delays in production.

Despite alerting managers to his concerns, Barnett said no action was taken. However, a 2017 review by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) upheld some of his concerns, establishing that the location of at least 53 “non-conforming” parts in the factory was unknown. The FAA ordered Boeing to take remedial action.

The Circumstances of His Death

The Charleston County coroner confirmed Barnett’s death on 9 March, stating that the 62-year-old had died from a self-inflicted wound. Police are currently investigating the incident. At the time of his death, Barnett had been participating in legal interviews related to his ongoing lawsuit against Boeing.

Boeing expressed condolences in a statement, saying, “We are saddened by Mr. Barnett’s passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends.”

Impact on Boeing

The news of Barnett’s death comes at a time when production standards at Boeing and its key supplier Spirit Aerosystems are under intense scrutiny. This follows an incident in early January when an unused emergency exit door blew off a brand-new Boeing 737 Max shortly after take-off from Portland International Airport.