Seattle, Washington – Aviation companies faced a series of issues from January 2024 to May 2024 involving Boeing planes. These incidents include a Boeing 737 Max 9 losing a door plug during a flight from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California. Subsequently, a gear collapse caused a 737 Max 8 to slide down a runway in Houston, followed by a wheel falling off a Boeing 777-200 after takeoff from San Francisco, resulting in multiple crushed cars.
The troubles for Boeing escalated further when the Department of Justice charged the company with conspiracy to defraud the United States in January 2021. As the company faced these allegations, 32 whistleblowers stepped forward with complaints, two of whom have since passed away. The situation within Boeing is dire, with concerns about a potential unravelling of a larger conspiracy.
The first whistleblower, John Barnett, retired from Boeing in 2017 after a 30-year stint with the company. He raised concerns about faulty parts being intentionally fitted to planes during production, particularly at a Boeing factory where he oversaw the building of the 787 Dreamliner. Despite bringing these issues to management’s attention, Barnett did not see any action taken. Following his departure from the company, Barnett pursued legal action against Boeing and was later found deceased in his truck, the victim of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A second whistleblower, Joshua Dean, came from a family legacy of Boeing employees and worked at a factory in Wichita, Kansas. Dean disclosed that employees were aware of quality control issues within the company, including improperly drilled holes in fuselages. After flagging these concerns, Dean was fired, leading to his untimely death from a MRSA bacterial infection a year later. Both Barnett and Dean were represented by attorney Brian Knowles, who emphasized the importance of encouraging and rewarding individuals who speak up about such critical issues within the aviation industry.