Boeing whistleblower Joshua Dean, who revealed major flaws in 737 MAX planes, dies

New Delhi: Joshua Dean, a former quality auditor at Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, succumbed to complications from a sudden and rapidly spreading infection at the age of 45 after a two-week struggle. Initially hospitalised due to breathing difficulties, Dean’s condition rapidly deteriorated, leading to pneumonia and a severe bacterial infection, as reported by The Seattle Times.

Dean’s death follows the death of another Boeing whistleblower, John Barnett, who reportedly died by suicide two months ago.

Despite intensive medical intervention, including intubation and dialysis, Dean’s health continued to decline. He was transferred via airlift from Wichita to an Oklahoma City hospital as his condition worsened and was placed on an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine for life support. However, his condition continued to deteriorate, and he suffered a stroke, prompting doctors to consider amputating both his hands and feet in a desperate bid to save his life.

A mechanical engineer by profession, Dean joined Spirit in 2019 but was laid off in the subsequent year due to pandemic-related job cuts. He returned to Spirit in May 2021, assuming the role of a quality auditor. Dean’s colleague at Spirit, John “Mitch” Barnett, also a Boeing whistleblower, tragically died by suicide amid depositions alleging retaliation from Boeing for raising concerns about quality issues.

Dean’s own whistleblowing efforts came to light in October 2022 when he uncovered a critical manufacturing defect involving mechanics improperly drilling holes in the aft pressure bulkhead of the Boeing 737 MAX. Despite raising concerns with management, no action was taken. Additionally, he discovered another manufacturing flaw involving fittings that attach the vertical tail fin to the fuselage during an audit, leading to his termination in April.

Following the discovery of the defects, Dean filed a safety complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), accusing Spirit of using him as a scapegoat and misleading the FAA regarding the defects. In November, the

FAA completed an investigation into Dean’s allegations, the outcome of which remains undisclosed but appears to validate his concerns.

In the same month, Dean filed an aviation whistleblower complaint with the Department of Labor, alleging wrongful termination and misconduct by senior-level Spirit AeroSystems quality managers, a case that is currently pending. agencies