Whistleblower at key Boeing supplier dies following a sudden illness

Following a sudden illness, a second Boeing whistleblower has passed away.

Joshua Dean, a quality inspector at Spirit AeroSystems, a major manufacturer of the Boeing 737 Max, voiced concerns in October 2022 regarding misdrilled holes on a crucial section of the aircraft responsible for maintaining cabin pressure during flight.

Dean, aged 45, previously enjoyed an active lifestyle and was considered to be in good health before his unexpected demise on Tuesday due to a rapidly progressing infection.

Having worked at Spirit since 2019, Dean experienced a temporary layoff during the pandemic but later returned until his termination by the company in April 2023.

This tragic event follows the recent death of another Boeing whistleblower, John Barnett, a former quality manager, whose passing was ruled as an apparent suicide. Barnett was in Charleston, South Carolina, at the time, providing testimony regarding the factory producing the 787 Dreamliner. He resigned from Boeing in 2017, citing stress related to his job.