Boeing Whistleblower Raising Quality Issues Found Dead
TL/DR –
John Barnett, a former Boeing quality manager and a significant whistle-blower regarding manufacturing practices at Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner factory, was found dead in an apparent suicide. Barnett had filed a complaint against Boeing in 2017 under the AIR21 Whistleblower Protection Program, alleging retaliation against him for making complaints about safety and quality. He had raised concerns about quality issues at Boeing, such as clusters of titanium slivers over flight control wires in some planes and missing defective parts, which he feared had been installed in planes.
Boeing Whistle-Blower Found Dead
John Barnett, a prominent Boeing whistle-blower and former quality manager who raised concerns about manufacturing practices at Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner factory, was found dead with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, local officials confirmed.
Barnett, who had alerted authorities about quality and safety issues at Boeing, was in Charleston for a deposition for a lawsuit accusing Boeing of retaliation against him. Design and manufacturing quality problems have haunted Boeing, especially following the crashes of two Boeing 737 Max jets in 2018 and 2019, and a recent incident where a fuselage panel blew out on a Max flight.
Whistleblower Complaint and Deposition
In 2017, Barnett filed an AIR21 Whistleblower Protection Program complaint against Boeing with the U.S. Labor Department, a platform protecting employees reporting air carrier safety violations. He left the company the same year. Barnett was deposed by Boeing’s lawyer and questioned by his own lawyers. His lawyer, Robert Turkewitz, confirmed that Barnett’s experience at Boeing deeply affected him.
Barnett’s Case Continues
An administrative law judge was hearing Barnett’s whistle-blower case, with a trial set for June. Turkewitz plans to proceed with the case on behalf of Barnett’s family. Boeing expressed sadness over Barnett’s passing.
Concerns About Boeing’s Quality Issues
After two Boeing 737 Max planes crashes, Barnett’s concerns over Boeing’s quality issues were highlighted in The New York Times and other news outlets. Barnett discovered clusters of titanium slivers threatening flight control wires in planes and reported defective parts missing, raising queries on their possible installation in planes.
Quality Issues at Boeing
According to Barnett, his superiors asked him to finish the paperwork on the missing parts without tracing them. The Federal Aviation Administration found that Boeing lost some damaged parts. Barnett expressed concerns again as questions about Boeing’s quality issues re-emerged following an incident on a Boeing 737 Max 9 plane flight.
Barnett’s Personal Struggles
Barnett’s mother, Vicky Stokes, revealed that her son’s experience at Boeing had taken a toll on him, making him appear older than his brothers. Barnett stopped flying on planes because of what he’d witnessed at Boeing.
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