Joshua Dean previously said he was fired from Spirit AeroSystems, where he was employed as a quality auditor, in October 2022 for raising standards issues at the supplier’s Wichita, Kansas plant.
Spirit made a door stopper for Boeing that accidentally broke in mid-air during an Alaska Airlines flight in January. According to his family’s social media posts, Dean died in hospital on Tuesday after suffering an unexpected illness. He was fired from Spirit AeroSystems in April 2023.
Earlier this year, Dean spoke to NPR about being fired.
“I think they were trying to get the message to someone else. If you’re too loud, we’ll silence you,” he said.
Boeing’s share price has fallen more than 10% to $173.86 in the past six months as new safety concerns emerged.
Dean’s aunt Carol Parsons and other family members confirmed his death in posts on Facebook and received by MailOnline. She also confirmed his death in a statement to The Seattle Times.
Parsons told the newspaper that Dean was in the hospital in his hometown of Wichita, Kansas, due to respiratory problems. While there, Dean developed pneumonia and MRSA and needed to be intubated. She wrote on Facebook: “I am grateful for the prayers of my family and friends for this young man.” He died early yesterday morning and his absence will be deeply mourned.
Josh, we will always love you.”
His former employer, Spirit AeroSystems, released a statement wishing Dean’s family the best.
According to spokesman Joe Buccino, we mean Josh Dean’s family. “This unexpected loss is devastating news for his loved ones and for us here. Boeing has consistently denied claims by Dean and other sources that the company deliberately ignored safety signals. Dean’s mother posted on Facebook that he was still conscious and communicating with medical staff as of Monday.
As for her writing, the doctor gave him a “50/50 chance of life” at the time. Josh is pretty scared, and down, and sleeps a lot. He was not taking any sedatives or painkillers.
In his final days, Dean was dependent on an ECMO machine for breathing. He is also not as responsive as he was a few days ago. “The doctor asked if he wanted the machine turned off and he wouldn’t respond,” his mother said.
“I told the doctor he doesn’t know what he wants, but I’m sure he wants to live. She went on to add that her child underwent a procedure to diagnose lung damage from pneumonia, which he overcame.
On Wednesday, Parsons said on Facebook: “I am grateful for the prayers of my family and friends for this young man.” He passed away yesterday morning and his loss will be sorely mourned.
We will always love you, Josh.” Dean’s brother Justin died in January aged 26. In January, Dean told The Wall Street Journal that he was fired because he pointed out that holes had been accidentally drilled in the hull, which his employer denied. “In Spirit, it is known that if you make too much noise and cause too much commotion, you will be moved. It doesn’t mean you should completely reject something, but they don’t want you to find everything and write it down,” he explained.
In March, another Boeing whistleblower, John Barnett, took his own life amid a lawsuit against Boeing. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but his friends disputed that, saying he had previously assured them that ‘if anything happens to me, it’s not suicide’.
Dean and Barnett were represented by the same attorney, Brian Knowles, who declined to speculate about his clients’ unexpected deaths in brief remarks to The Seattle Times. Whistleblowers are needed. They expose wrongdoing and corruption in the interest of society. “It takes a lot of courage to stand up,” Knowles told the site. Dean remembered the pizza party held at the Wichita factory to celebrate the reduction in defects recorded,
he claimed to have told them that ‘if something happens to me, it’s not suicide. Dean and Barnett were represented by the same attorney, Brian Knowles, who declined to speculate about his clients’ unexpected deaths in brief remarks to The Seattle Times. Whistleblowers are needed.
They expose wrongdoing and corruption in the interest of society. “It takes a lot of courage to stand up,” Knowles told the site. Dean highlighted a pizza party held at the Wichita facility to celebrate the reduction in reported defects, noting that the conversation quickly turned to the fact that the improvements were only due to underreporting issues. “We organize pizza because we reduce defects. But we don’t reduce defects. We just don’t report them, you know what I mean?,” Dean said in his NPR interview.
He went on to inform the station that his father and grandfather used to work at the same Wichita plant and that he quickly became dissatisfied with the work environment. “I’m not saying they don’t want you to go there and rate the work. Yes, they do. But if you do too much trouble, you get the Josh treatment. You will get what happened to me,” he replied. Dean’s allegations are part of a shareholder case filed against Spirit in December that alleges the business failed to disclose deficiencies.
Spirit told the paper that it vehemently disputes the allegations in the complaint and remains “focused on the quality of every aircraft that leaves our facility.”
Last month, Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour said excessive force was used to join the panels
together on the 787 production line, increasing the risk of fatigue or microscopic cracks in the material that could lead to material failure. Boeing officials described how the fuselage sections are assembled.
Boeing’s vice president of civil engineering, Steve Chisholm, explained. He added that the average 787 makes 600 flights a year. The business said the planes currently in use are safe.
According to Chisholm, 671 Dreamliners had extensive 6-year inspections, while eight passed 12-year inspections with no signs of composite skin fatigue.
Cracks were discovered in metal components, including a bit above where the wings join the fuselage, and Boeing has issued inspection instructions for those parts, officials said. The 787 Dreamliner is a twin-aisle aircraft that has been
widely used on international flights since its introduction in 2011. The composite material makes the aircraft lighter, which results in higher fuel consumption.
A series of battery fires temporarily grounded the aircraft. Deliveries of the aircraft were halted at times due to concerns about fuselage panel gaps that were wider than Boeing standards allowed, the use of authorized titanium parts from an Italian supplier, and pressure bulkhead defects.
The Federal Aviation Administration must inspect and approve every 787 that leaves the production line before it can be delivered to an airline customer.
The Federal Aviation Administration must inspect and approve every 787 that leaves the production line before it can be delivered to an airline customer.
Whistleblower Salehpour claims that after he raised safety concerns about the 787, Boeing reassigned him to work on the 777, an older wide-body airliner.
He claimed to the Seattle Times that he witnessed workers jumping on fuselage panels to align them, which Boeing disputes.
According to the New York Times, the FAA is investigating Salehpour’s claims. The FAA, without commenting specifically on Salehpour, said it was investigating all safety reports. Boeing said it had “complete confidence” in both aircraft. Salehpour is the latest in a line of Boeing whistleblowers
come forward and usually demand retaliation for expressing safety concerns.
The company said it encourages employees to speak up about issues.
Lisa Fahl, Boeing’s vice president of engineering for aircraft programs, said employee reports “exploded,” with more reports filed in January and February than in all of 2023, “which is what we want.”
The recent and tragic death of Joshua Dean, a former quality auditor at Spirit AeroSystems, underscores the serious and often dangerous challenges that whistleblowers face. Dean, who was fired over safety standards concerns at the Wichita, Kansas plant, succumbed to an unexpected illness shortly after being fired. His allegations, particularly regarding a critical component that failed mid-flight on a Boeing jet, highlight significant safety issues plaguing the airline industry. Despite Boeing’s denials, these safety concerns contributed to a significant drop in the company’s stock price.
Dean’s death, along with the earlier suicide of another whistleblower, John Barnett, who also raised alarm about Boeing’s security practices, exposes the intense personal and professional risks involved in exposing corporate wrongdoing.
The two men, represented by attorney Brian Knowles, faced considerable opposition in their efforts to ensure transparency and security. Deeply grieving his loss, Dean’s family openly shared their grief and the harrowing circumstances that led to his death, further emphasizing the human cost of such courage.
The broader implications of these whistleblower cases go beyond individual tragedies. They expose systemic problems at large corporations such as Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems, where whistleblowers are often marginalized or retaliated against for their efforts to uphold safety standards. These disclosures are critical not only to ensuring the safety and reliability of aviation products but also to maintaining public confidence in these companies.
The recent rise in safety concerns and subsequent reports from employees, Boeing Vice President of Engineering Lisa Fahl noted, indicate a growing awareness and willingness among employees to speak up. But the tragic consequences for whistleblowers like Dean and Barnett highlight the need for stronger protections and support systems for those who risk their careers and lives to expose wrongdoing. As regulators such as the FAA continue to investigate these claims, it is imperative that their findings lead to substantive changes that prioritize safety and transparency over the interests of society.
In conclusion, the untimely deaths of Joshua Dean and John Barnett are a stark reminder of the high toll faced by whistleblowers. Their stories underscore the vital role of whistleblowers in uncovering critical security issues and the urgent need for systemic reforms to protect those who bravely come forward. As the aviation industry grapples with these challenges, the lessons learned from these cases must lead to a renewed commitment to integrity, safety, and accountability.