Joshua Dean, a former quality auditor at Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, passed away at the age of 45 on Tuesday due to a sudden and rapidly spreading infection, according to a report. His death comes just two months after another Boeing whistleblower, John Barnett, reportedly died by suicide.
Joshua Dean
Dean fell ill a little over two weeks ago, experiencing breathing difficulties. Despite receiving aggressive medical treatment, including the use of an ECMO machine, Dean struggled for several days before succumbing to his illness.
Dean was among the first to raise concerns about potential oversight by Spirit leadership regarding critical manufacturing flaws in Boeing’s 737 MAX planes. He meticulously documented his findings, which included improperly drilled holes in the aft pressure bulkhead, a crucial component for maintaining cabin pressure.
Spirit terminated Dean’s employment in April 2023, a move he believed was retaliation for exposing the aircraft’s flaws.
The timing of Dean’s death bears similarities to that of Barnett, who took his own life in March amidst a lawsuit alleging retaliation for bringing attention to safety concerns with the 787 Dreamliner.
Speaking before lawmakers on Capitol Hill recently, former Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour delivered damning testimony, unveiling a culture within Boeing that prioritizes pushing flawed components despite safety risks. Salehpour, with 17 years of experience at Boeing, became a whistleblower after facing repercussions for raising safety concerns about the popular 787 Dreamliner and 777 aircraft.
While Boeing acknowledged the existence of imperfections, it pledged ongoing efforts toward improvement. Boeing contested Salehpour’s assertions regarding the Dreamliner’s safety, citing extensive testing that purportedly shows no signs of fatigue.
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