Whistleblower at key Boeing supplier dies after sudden illness

A whistleblower who identified engineering problems astatine nan institution that supplied Boeing pinch airliner fuselages died connected Monday, CBS News has learned, aft suffering from a fast-spreading infection. 

Joshua Dean was a value inspector astatine Spirit AeroSystems, which builds nan bulk of nan 737 Max for Boeing. Dean raised concerns successful October 2022 astir misdrilled holes connected a rear conception of nan level that is basal to support compartment unit during flight. 

Attorneys for Dean confirmed his death. He was 45. 

"Our thoughts and prayers are pinch Josh and his family," said attorneys Brian Knowles and Rob Turkewitz successful a statement. "Josh's passing is simply a nonaccomplishment to nan aviation organization and nan flying public. He possessed tremendous courageousness to guidelines up for what he felt was existent and correct and raised value and information issues. Aviation companies should promote and incentivize those that do raise these concerns. Otherwise, information and value are genuinely not these companies' apical priorities."

In this photograph taken pinch a fish-eye lens, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplane sits connected nan assembly statement during a little media circuit successful Boeing's 737 assembly installation successful Renton, Wash., March 27, 2019.  Ted S. Warren / AP

Boeing acknowledged nan misdrilled holes successful August 2023, penning successful a connection that while it was "not an contiguous information issue," nan institution would request to re-inspect and repair affected airplanes, delaying deliveries to airlines. The announcement caused Spirit's banal to driblet much than 10% nan pursuing day.

Dean worked astatine Spirit from 2019, was laid disconnected temporarily during nan pandemic and returned until nan institution terminated him successful April 2023.

Ongoing investigations by nan FAA and NTSB propose Spirit—originally spun disconnected from Boeing—oversaw repairs to nan doorway of nan Alaska Airlines pitchy anterior to nan rustle out. The value power issues astatine Spirit deteriorated truthful overmuch that Boeing is presently successful talks to reacquire nan institution truthful it tin amended its oversight of nan troubled supplier. 

Prior to his death, Dean told CBS News he had been retaliated against for raising value concerns.

"The force present is nan civilization of Spirit AeroSystems value guidance and Boeing knows it," said Dean, who besides revenge a information title pinch nan FAA astir nan misdrilled holes and a title pinch nan Department of Labor alleging retaliation.

In December, Spirit shareholders revenge suit against nan institution alleging nan institution grounded to disclose "severe and persistent" value issues to investors. Dean provided a deposition successful nan suit, though he was not a plaintiff.

The Seattle Times first reported Dean's death. Dean's aunt told nan publication that her nephew went to nan infirmary for breathing issues a fewer weeks ago, developed pneumonia, and past suffered a superior bacterial infection. 

Dean's decease comes weeks aft different Boeing whistleblower, John Barnett, a erstwhile value head for nan company, died successful what nan coroner said was evident suicide. Barnett was successful Charleston, South Carolina, astatine nan clip of his death, giving grounds astir nan mill that builds nan 787 Dreamliner. He resigned from nan institution successful 2017, citing job-related stress.

In nan 2022 Netflix documentary "Downfall: The Case Against Boeing," Barnett claimed his managers retaliated against him for speaking up. Boeing said it addressed nan issues he had raised earlier he near nan company. 

In March, John Barnett's family said to CBS News. When asked if they spot immoderate of nan blasted for his decease connected Boeing, his mother Vicky Stokes said "if this hadn't gone connected truthful long, I'd still person my son, and my sons would person their relative and we wouldn't beryllium sitting here. So successful that respect, I do."

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