NewsBoeing faces renewed scrutiny as second Whistleblower passes away

Boeing faces renewed scrutiny as second Whistleblower passes away

Boeing airplane.

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8:48 AM EDT, May 5, 2024

Joshua Dean, a prominent whistleblower who exposed unsafe practices in manufacturing Boeing airplanes, passed away at the age of 45. This marks the second loss of a whistleblower from the company within the year, placing Boeing in an intensified state of scrutiny.

Dean's primary role was as a quality auditor for Spirit AeroSystems, a major supplier for Boeing. Amid growing concerns, he lodged a formal complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) over quality lapses in producing the 737 Max airplanes. His allegations pinpointed "serious and glaring abuses in quality management on the 737 production line" at Spirit AeroSystems. These actions were in the wake of two fatal 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019 that claimed 346 lives.

Subsequently, Dean faced termination by Spirit last year. He contended that his dismissal was an act of retaliation for voicing safety concerns, leading him to seek justice through a complaint with the Department of Labor.

The loss of a Boeing whistleblower

Dean's health declined as he was hospitalized with severe breathing issues, leading to intubation, pneumonia, and a grave infection that resulted in his death two weeks later. "He passed away yesterday morning, and his absence will be deeply felt. We will always love you,” his aunt, Carol Dean Parsons, expressed on Facebook.

A troubling pattern emerges

Dean’s representation by the law firm, which also handled the case for another Boeing whistleblower, John "Mitch" Barnett, underscores a disturbing trend. With over three decades at Boeing, Barnett raised alarms about potential hazards in the 787 Dreamliner program, only to be met with inaction and eventual departmental reassignment.

Moreover, the recent demise of Barnett, found in his car in a hotel parking lot, has been preliminarily deemed a suicide, further casting a shadow over the treatment of whistleblowers within the aerospace community.

Last month, we brought to light another alarming testimony before Congress from Sam Salehpour, a Boeing informant, who critiqued the company’s neglect of a safety culture, highlighting the sidelining and intimidation faced by employees who dared to speak up.

Boeing under the microscope

The tandem tragedies of two 737 MAX 8 flights have propelled Boeing into a storm of investigations that unearthed severe irregularities in their production and certification processes. In response, Boeing is now navigating a path toward regaining trust in its commitment to quality and safety standards.