Former Spirit AeroSystems quality auditor Joshua Dean passed away after charging the business with neglecting production flaws in parts used in Boeing’s 737 MAX aircraft. John Barnett, a fellow Boeing whistleblower, passed away before him. The claims made by Dean, which included a serious production error and a later Spirit cover-up, have sparked questions over airline safety regulations. His departure serves as a reminder of the difficulties whistleblowers encounter and the significance of maintaining accountability and openness in the aerospace industry.
Dean, 45, led an active life and was thought to be in good condition before his “sudden” death on Tuesday, which came about as a result of an infection that spread quickly. He contracted pneumonia as well as influenza B and MRSA, according to Fox59.
Dean, sometimes known as Josh, was a resident of Spirit’s home base of Wichita, Kansas. He was 45 years old, well-known for leading a healthy lifestyle, and in good health.
After two weeks in critical condition, he passed away, according to his aunt Carol Parsons.
The family of Josh Dean is in our thoughts, according to Spirit spokesman Joe Buccino. For his loved ones as well as ourselves, this unexpected loss is heartbreaking news.
In addition to providing a deposition in a lawsuit brought by Spirit’s shareholders, Dean also complained to the Federal Aviation Administration, claiming that Spirit’s senior quality management of the 737 production line had engaged in “serious and gross misconduct.”
His condition quickly worsened despite numerous attempts to save him, such as intubation, dialysis, and airlifting to a different hospital in Oklahoma City. Because of the serious illness that had turned his hands and feet black, doctors had even considered amputating them.
The abrupt onset and extreme severity of his illness left his family and medical specialists perplexed. His sister-in-law, Kristen Dean, posted on Facebook, saying, “He is in the worst condition I have ever known or heard of.” The hospital concurs as well.”
Social media fans on X were taken aback to learn that Dean had passed so soon after Barnett did. Many questioned how it could be that two whistleblowers from Boeing passed away in less than two months.
Someone wrote, “Just to be clear, flying is still statistically 10,000 times safer than being a Boeing whistleblower.”
Someone else said, “If I had a nickel for every time a Boeing whistleblower mysteriously died, I’d have two nickels, which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice.”
“Another Boeing whistleblower has died suddenly,” remarked a third person. In less than two months, two expert witnesses who were attempting to hold Boeing accountable have now unexpectedly passed away. Does this seem odd to anyone else as well?
In 2019, Dean, a mechanical engineer, started working with Spirit. After work cuts brought on by the pandemic, he was let go the next year and rejoined Spirit in May 2021 as a quality auditor.
Dean reported discovering a significant manufacturing flaw in October 2022: the mechanics had drilled holes incorrectly in the MAX’s aft pressure bulkhead. He said that nothing was done after bringing up this matter with management.
He said that while concentrating on those flaws, he overlooked another manufacturing error in the fittings connecting the vertical tail fin to the fuselage during that same audit. Dean was let go after it was found out in April which resulted in a delivery halt at Boeing’s Renton facility.
Then, in August, Spirit revealed that a fault in MAXs manufactured as early as 2019 had been found: incorrectly drilled holes in the aft pressure bulkhead. This resulted in another Renton delivery halt.
Spirit AeroSystems sent its condolences on Dean’s passing, describing it as “stunning news.” The business has come under fire, especially after it was discovered that it produced the door panel that broke off a 737 MAX 9 in midair in January.
Boeing’s safety standards have come under scrutiny after several events, notably the near-disaster that involved Alaska Airlines Flight 1282. Spirit AeroSystems has refuted Dean’s accusations and is still defending its legal actions.
The biggest aerospace corporation in the world, Boeing, announced a $355 million loss for the first quarter of this year, which is a minor improvement over the $425 million loss reported during the same period last year.
The business has been involved in several scandals, most recently when a panel on a 737 Max 9 aircraft broke during an Alaska Airlines flight. Five years have passed since two deadly incidents involving the 737 Max 8 aircraft model.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the US government agency in charge of aviation, has tightened its inspection of Boeing in the wake of the event. Additionally, the FAA has limited the number of 737s produced each month to 38 and requested that Boeing develop a plan by the end of this month to raise quality standards.