Boeing Co whistleblower found dead in US amid legal battle — but what did he reveal?

Former Boeing Co employee John Barnett, known for raising production standards concerns, has been found dead Monday outside a South Carolina hotel amid a legal battle with the plane giant, the BBC reported.

Barnett, 62, worked for Boeing for 32 years before retiring in 2017 and had been providing evidence in a whistleblower lawsuit against the company.

He also worked as a quality manager at the North Charleston plant making the 787 Dreamliner, an airliner used mainly on long-haul routes.

In a statement following his sudden death, Boeing said it was saddened to hear of Barnett’s passing. 

The Charleston County coroner confirmed the whistleblower’s death from a “self-inflicted” wound on Saturday, adding that the police were investigating.

What did John Barnett reveal?

Barnett raised concern over the pressure on workers to use of substandard parts from scrap bins in the 787 aircraft production frame despite failing statistical testing.

He also claimed to have uncovered serious problems with oxygen systems, which could mean one in four breathing masks would not work in an emergency.

Barnett was concerned that the rushed assembly process for the aircraft would make it unsafe and hasty.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducted a review in 2017 and confirmed Barnett’s concerns as they found at least 53 parts in unknown positions.

Additionally, Barnett had discovered 25% of emergency oxygen systems on 787s failed, potentially contributing to pilots’ difficulty in obtaining normoxia (normal oxygen levels).

Later, Boeing admitted that some oxygen bottles had been delivered “from the supplier that have not performed the function properly”. However, the company assured that none were installed on any aircraft.

What happened next?

After retiring, Barnett filed a defamation lawsuit against Boeing for damaging his career and name after his whistleblowing.

Barnett had been in Charleston for legal interviews linked to that case and had given a formal deposition last week in which he was questioned by Boeing’s lawyers, before being cross-examined by his own counsel.

His absence during further questioning on Saturday prompted enquiries to be made at his hotel where he was found dead in his truck in the car park.

His death comes amid increased scrutiny of production standards at Boeing and its key supplier, Spirit AeroSystems, after an incident in January when an emergency exit door blew off a Boeing 737 Max shortly after take-off from Portland International Airport.

The US National Transportation Safety Board revealed that four key bolts, that hold the door securely in place, had been missing.

Last week, the FAA said a six-week audit of the company had found “multiple instances where the company allegedly failed to comply with manufacturing quality control requirements”.