Boeing Whistleblower Who Raised Safety Concerns Found Dead, Allegedly Due to Suicide

John Barnett, a former Boeing (BA.N)  employee, was found dead in South Carolina in an apparent suicide, according to authorities.

According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Barnett had worked in Boeing for 32 years before resigning in 2017 on health grounds. He had reportedly raised concerns about the company’s production issues during his years working at Boeing before leaving.

The Charleston County coroner’s office confirmed on Tuesday, 12 March 2024, that the 62-year-old’s death was a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound three days prior (9 March 2024).

Charleston City police are investigating, withholding further details at this time.

Barnett was in the Middle of Whistleblowing Lawsuit at Time of Death

Barnett’s attorneys, Robert Turkewitz and Brian Knowles, stated that he was in the midst of a deposition for an ongoing whistleblower retaliation case against Boeing at the time of his death.

Barnett had been in Charleston for legal interviews linked to his case.

It is reported that days before his death, he was still submitting evidence against his former company.

Further questioning was scheduled for Saturday, but Barnett failed to appear. Authorities discovered him deceased in his truck at the hotel parking lot after conducting inquiries at his hotel.

“He was in very good spirits and really looking forward to putting this phase of his life behind him and moving on. We didn’t see any indication he would take his own life. No one can believe it,” his attorneys said.

Safety Concerns Raised by Barnett

Starting from 2010, Barnett served as a quality manager at the North Charleston plant, which was responsible for manufacturing the 787 Dreamliner, an advanced aircraft primarily utilized for long-distance flights.

However, in 2019, he had disclosed significant safety issues to BBC about the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, particularly that the workers had been deliberately fitting sub-standard parts to aircraft on the production line under pressure.

Additionally, Barnett revealed significant issues with oxygen systems, suggesting that as many as one in four breathing masks might fail to function in case of an emergency.

When he had brought this concern up to his managers, there was reportedly no action taken.

Though Boeing had initially denied those assertions, a 2017 review by US regulator the Federal Aviation Administration did reveal that the whereabouts of at least 53 “non-conforming” parts in the factory were unknown, deemed lost.

Regarding the oxygen cylinders, the company acknowledged identifying malfunctioning bottles from the supplier in 2017 but refuted claims of them being installed on aircraft.

Boeing received stern instructions to address the issue. 

Barnett had also engaged with media outlets after the incident on 5 January 2024 involving a Boeing 737 MAX 9 plane, where a panel blew out mid-flight, necessitating an emergency landing.

“Once you understand what’s happening inside of Boeing”, people will see why there are occurrences of such issues, Barnett told the press in January.

This incident brought Boeing’s safety and quality standards to question, resulting in production restrictions by US regulators and delivery delays across the aerospace sector.

According to Nasdaq, decline in its reputation amid ongoing safety and quality concerns, Boeing’s stock price has plummeted by over 26% since the year began.

In a statement regarding their former employee’s passing, Boeing said: “We are saddened by Mr. Barnett’s passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends.”