Boeing, $BA, whistleblower John Barnett, who raised concern about production standards, found dead in apparent suicide

Boeing, $BA, whistleblower John Barnett, who raised concern about production standards, found dead in apparent suicide.


A former Boeing employee, well-known for his vocal concerns regarding the company's production standards, has been found dead in the United States.

John Barnett, who had worked for Boeing for 32 years until his retirement in 2017, was discovered deceased in the days following his testimony in a whistleblower lawsuit against the company.

Boeing expressed sadness at Mr. Barnett's passing, confirmed by the Charleston County coroner as resulting from a self-inflicted wound on March 9th. Authorities are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.

During his tenure at Boeing's North Charleston plant, where he served as a quality manager for the 787 Dreamliner, Barnett raised alarms about workers fitting aircraft with substandard parts deliberately, potentially compromising safety. He also highlighted serious issues with oxygen systems, indicating that a significant percentage of emergency masks might fail to function correctly.

Despite bringing these concerns to the attention of management, Barnett claimed no action was taken. Boeing, however, denied his allegations. Nevertheless, a 2017 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) review substantiated some of Barnett's claims, prompting Boeing to address certain deficiencies.

Following his retirement, Barnett pursued legal action against Boeing, alleging defamation and career impediments due to his whistleblowing. At the time of his death, he was in Charleston for legal matters related to this case.