Whistleblower Accusing Boeing Supplier of Ignoring Manufacturing Defects on 737 Max Dies

Joshua Dean, a former employee of Spirit AeroSystems, has passed away after contracting a sudden illness, as reported by The Seattle Times. Dean’s aunt, Carol Parsons, stated that he was admitted to the hospital two weeks ago due to difficulty breathing. Despite being intubated, Dean’s condition deteriorated, and he developed pneumonia and MRSA, a serious bacterial infection.

Dean, who previously testified against Spirit in a shareholder lawsuit, accused the company of poor quality control in the production of Boeing’s 737 Max. The company faced scrutiny after it was revealed that they used liquid Dawn soap, among other household products, to lubricate a 737 Max door seal. Spirit defended its practices, stating that Dawn soap is an approved factory tool according to the Federal Aviation Administration’s standards.

Dean had also claimed that he was fired by Spirit for pointing out wrongly drilled holes in fuselages. Spirit denied these allegations and expressed its intention to defend itself in court.

This news follows the recent passing of another Boeing whistleblower, John Barnett, who died during his deposition against the company. Barnett’s cause of death was reported as a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Brian Knowles, the lawyer representing both Dean and Barnett, refrained from speculating on the circumstances surrounding Dean’s death. Knowles emphasized the importance of whistleblowers in exposing wrongdoing and corruption.

Boeing has faced increased scrutiny due to repeated quality assurance lapses. The company recently reported a net loss of $355 million in its latest quarter and disclosed a cash burn of $3.9 billion in the first quarter of the year.

Representatives for Brian Knowles and Spirit AeroSystems have not yet responded to requests for comment.