Following the deaths of two Boeing whistleblowers, an attorney representing them revealed that there are at least 10 more whistleblowers who are determined to come forward. Joshua Dean, a former quality auditor at Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, passed away after a sudden illness, while John Barnett, another Boeing whistleblower, was found dead of a gunshot wound that authorities believed to be self-inflicted. Despite conspiracy theories surrounding their deaths, there is no evidence to suggest foul play. The attorney, Brian Knowles, stated that the deaths of Dean and Barnett have not discouraged his other whistleblower clients from speaking out.
Knowles disclosed that the whistleblowers he represents are a mix of current and former employees of Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems. These individuals are coming forward with serious quality and safety concerns that they had reported internally and to regulators. One of his clients, Santiago Paredes, a former Spirit AeroSystems employee, recently went public with allegations of being pressured to downplay issues he found while inspecting plane fuselages. Knowles emphasized that the whistleblowers feel an even greater need to speak out following Dean and Barnett’s deaths and commended their bravery for coming forward to report important issues.
Barnett was in the process of depositions for his AIR21 retaliation filing against Boeing at the time of his death. He alleged that he was pushed out by the company as retaliation for whistleblowing. AIR21 is a federal law that protects aviation industry whistleblowers, and Barnett claimed in his complaint that he was demoted and harassed after reporting that Boeing used substandard parts to build planes. Despite this, Boeing denied any retaliation against Barnett for whistleblowing and stated that they addressed the quality issues he raised before his retirement in 2017, with engineering analysis determining that they did not affect airplane safety.
Boeing has been under scrutiny following safety issues with their planes, including a section of fuselage blowing off an Alaska Airlines flight midair. Spirit AeroSystems, a key supplier of fuselages to Boeing, has also faced scrutiny in light of the whistleblowers coming forward with concerns. Knowles expressed that aviation companies should support and incentivize employees who raise concerns, rather than retaliating against them. He hopes that the courageous actions of Barnett and Dean, as well as the other whistleblowers, will be remembered positively, as they were attempting to help the companies by reporting important safety and quality issues.
In the wake of these recent events, Knowles remains committed to representing whistleblowers in the aviation industry as they bravely come forward with concerns. He refused to speculate on the deaths of Barnett and Dean, noting that investigations are ongoing. However, he believes that the tragic deaths of his clients should not overshadow their intentions to do the right thing. As more whistleblowers continue to come forward, it is crucial for companies like Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems to listen to their concerns and address any safety or quality issues that are raised to ensure the well-being of their employees and the passengers who rely on their products.
