Second Boeing-linked whistleblower dies amid ongoing 737 max investigation

In March, a tragic turn of events shook the aviation industry. A Boeing whistleblower was found dead in a truck just as the Justice Department (DOJ) launched a criminal investigation into the Boeing 737 MAX mishap during an Alaska Airlines flight. Almost two months later, another Boeing-associated whistleblower has met an untimely demise, as reported by the Seattle Times.

The latest casualty is linked to Spirit AeroSystems, a supplier for Boeing, who passed away on Tuesday morning after battling a sudden and aggressive infection. The circumstances surrounding this tragic event remain shrouded in mystery.

Joshua Dean, aged 45, hailing from Wichita, Kansas, and a former mechanical engineer and quality auditor, had raised concerns about manufacturing defects concerning the 737 MAX. These defects included improper drilling by mechanics into the aft pressure bulkhead of the MAX. Despite his efforts to escalate the issue to Spirit leadership, no significant actions were taken. Consequently, he lodged a safety complaint with the FAA, alleging that Spirit had utilized him as a scapegoat while deceiving the agency about the defects.

“Joshua Dean, a former quality auditor at Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems and one of the first whistleblowers to allege Spirit leadership had ignored manufacturing defects on the 737 MAX, died Tuesday morning after a struggle with a sudden, fast-spreading infection,” Seattle Times reported.

“After I was fired, Spirit AeroSystems [initially] did nothing to inform the FAA and the public,” Dean noted in his complaint.

In a letter sent to Dean in November, the FAA acknowledged the validity of his claims, albeit with limited details due to privacy provisions. Moreover, Dean’s deposition in a Spirit shareholder lawsuit further bolstered allegations of management withholding information on quality flaws.

Tragically, Dean’s robust health took a dramatic turn. Stricken with a sudden illness, he faced breathing difficulties, eventually leading to a critical condition. Despite efforts to save him, including airlifting him to a hospital in Oklahoma City and utilizing an ECMO machine, his health rapidly deteriorated. The severity of his condition reached a point where doctors contemplated amputation of both hands and feet, underscoring the severity of his illness.

“It was brutal what he went through,” lamented his aunt Carol Parsons.

Dean’s termination in April 2023 prompted him to file a complaint with the Department of Labor, alleging retaliation for his whistleblowing activities. Represented by the same legal team as Boeing whistleblower John “Mitch” Barnett, whose death in March was ruled an ‘apparent suicide’, Dean’s plight underscores the risks associated with speaking out against corporate malfeasance.

In March, amidst escalating scrutiny over quality issues, Boeing was reportedly in discussions to acquire Spirit. This came at a time when both companies were facing heightened scrutiny from airlines and federal regulators to address quality concerns. The urgency was underscored by an incident on January 5th, when a door plug blew out during a flight of a 737 MAX 9.

Just four days later, United Airlines discovered “loose bolts” on the doors of its 737 MAX aircraft during an emergency inspection.

Alaska Airlines flight #AS1282, a Boeing 737 MAX 9, experienced a rapid decompression after the loss of a large panel that included an emergency exit door on the left side of the plane.
The flight made a safe return to Portland (PDX).pic.twitter.com/KH4gs0X4o6

— Aviation Safety Network (ASN) (@AviationSafety) January 6, 2024