Yahoo Finance Boeing Whistleblower Found Dead From Alleged 'Self-Inflicted' Wound Days Before He Was Set To Testify About Boeing's Quality Control Issues
John Barnett, a former Boeing employee known for his whistleblower activities against the aviation giant, was found dead from what appeared to be a “self-inflicted” wound just days before he was scheduled to testify about the company’s quality control problems, according to the Charleston County coroner.
Barnett, 62, had a 32-year tenure with Boeing until his retirement in 2017 because of health issues. His death on March 9 has sparked a police investigation, confirmed by the Charleston County coroner.
The story, first reported by BBC, centers around Barnett’s career at Boeing in his role as a quality manager at the North Charleston plant, where the 787 Dreamliner is produced. He had been vocal about his concerns over production standards, alleging that under pressure, workers were installing substandard parts on aircraft. In 2019, he brought to light issues with the assembly process being rushed, resulting in compromised safety and specific problems with the aircraft’s emergency oxygen systems — claiming a failure rate of 25% in deployment.
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Despite raising these issues to management, Barnett claimed no significant action was taken. His assertions led to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) review in 2017, which validated some of his concerns, particularly regarding the mishandling of nonconforming parts within the factory.
The incident comes after Boeing's months-long scrutiny for planes falling apart midflight, wheels falling off of planes and runway issues being reported.
Boeing has a history of scandals, including the recent fifth anniversary of a defective Boeing 737 MAX flown by Ethiopian Airlines that crashed, killing all 157 people on board. Another crash, Lion Air Flight 610, killed 189 people. These events resulted in a worldwide grounding of over 300 MAX planes around the world for over a year.
As reported by CNN, Boeing agreed on Nov. 10, 2021, to acknowledge liability for compensatory damages in the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX crash, according to a filing in the U.S. District Court in Chicago.
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Another high-profile event, from a MAX 9 plane, was in January when a door blew off the fuselage of an Alaskan Airlines plane midflight. Boeing stock has declined over 22% since the incident.
A Boeing 777 had a wheel fall off last week shortly after take off crushing several cars in an airport parking lot.
Boeing, while expressing sadness over Barnett’s passing, has denied his allegations. However, the company acknowledged receiving defective oxygen bottles from a supplier in 2017, insisting none were installed on aircraft.
Barnett’s legal battles against Boeing centered on accusations of character denigration and career obstruction because of his whistleblowing. His recent activities involved legal interviews in Charleston related to his case against Boeing, culminating in a deposition last week where he was questioned by Boeing’s lawyers and cross-examined by his own.
The death of Barnett, who was found in his truck in a hotel car park, has been described as "tragic" by his lawyer. Barnett’s death underscores the ongoing scrutiny of production standards at Boeing and its key supplier Spirit Aerosystems. This scrutiny intensified following the Alaskan Airlines incident, which was linked to manufacturing quality control lapses.
A Boeing representative said, “We are saddened by Mr. Barnett’s passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends.” This incident comes amid broader investigations into Boeing’s manufacturing practices, including a recent FAA audit revealing multiple instances of alleged quality control failures.
Barnett’s death casts light on the challenges faced by whistleblowers and the critical importance of upholding safety and quality standards in the aviation industry.
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This article Boeing Whistleblower Found Dead From Alleged 'Self-Inflicted' Wound Days Before He Was Set To Testify About Boeing's Quality Control Issues originally appeared on Benzinga.com
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