A WHISTLEBLOWER who accused Boeing supplier Spirit of ignoring manufacturing defects has died after a sudden illness.
Here is everything you need to know about Josh Dean’s death and what he said about the aviation giant.
ReutersBoeing whistleblower Josh Dean has died after a sudden illness[/caption]
Who was Boeing whistleblower Josh Dean?
Josh Dean was a former quality auditor at Spirit AeroSystems – a plane manufacturer that builds important parts including fuselage for Boeing.
Dean, who graduated in mechanical engineering, began working at Spirit in 2019, but was laid off in 2020 due to pandemic-related job cuts.
However, Spirit again employed him the next year as their quality auditor.
The 45-year-old lived in Wichita, Kansas, where Spirit is based.
Just two weeks ago, Josh suddenly fell ill and was admitted to a hospital after having trouble breathing, according to his aunt Carol Parsol.
He eventually developed pneumonia and a severe bacterial infection called MRSA – and was intubated throughout his time at the hospital.
Dean’s health condition reportedly deteriorated rapidly – and he was airlifted to a hospital in Oklahoma City, where he was put on an ECMA machine which is a type of life support.
He was heavily sedated and was also put on dialysis.
A CT scan report suggested Dean had suffered a stroke during his time at the hospital, according to a social media post made by Dean’s mum.
She added that her son was “fighting for his life”.
He died on Tuesday morning after battling with his critical health for two weeks, his aunt Carol confirmed.
What did Josh Dean accuse Boeing of?
During an audit in 2022, Dean said he found a major manufacturing defect in the parts built by Spirit for Boeing’s 737 MAX.
He said he flagged the concern with senior management, but alleged that nothing was done to rectify the issue.
In the same audit, however, Dean reportedly missed a separate flaw that caused a delivery pause for the company – for which he was fired in April 2023.
Just a few months later, Spirit said it had found a major problem in the manufacturing of 737 MAX’s built – the same issue that Dean flagged before he was kicked out of the company.
Dean then filed a safety complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), alleging that Spirit initially withheld information about the manufacturing defect from the FAA.
“After I was fired, Spirit AeroSystems [initially] did nothing to inform the FAA, and the public, about their knowledge of the aft pressure bulkhead defects”, he wrote in his complaint.
If you make too much trouble, you will get the Josh treatment. You will get what happened to me
Josh Dean
Dean gave a deposition in a lawsuit by Spirit shareholders in which he alleged “excessive” defects at the plant in Kansas.
He also filed his aviation whistleblower complaint with the Department of Labor, alleging wrongful termination and “gross misconduct of senior level Spirit AeroSystems Quality Managers”, according to The Seattle Times.
“I think they were sending out a message to anybody else. If you are too loud, we will silence you,” he told NPR in January.
“I’m not saying they don’t want you to go out there and inspect a job. You know, they do.
“But if you make too much trouble, you will get the Josh treatment. You will get what happened to me.”
These claims have been strongly denied by a Spirit spokesperson who told NPR that the allegations are being fought in court.
A former colleague confirmed his allegations after a panel blew off 737 MAX Alaska Airlines flight 1282 – for which both the aviation giant and Spirit came under intense scrutiny.
BOEING’S RECENT BLUNDERS
Boeing has faced scrutiny this year after a series of concerning malfunctions.
Here’s a list of some of the biggest incidents regarding the aircraft maker:
January 5 – An Alaska Airlines flight is forced to make an emergency landing after a window was ripped out mid-flight.
January 24 – A Delta flight loses its front tire during takeoff at the Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia.
March 7 – A wheel drops from a United Airlines flight heading to Japan during takeoff.
March 13 – A Boeing 777 is spotted leaking hydraulic fluid during takeoff for a United Airlines flight from Sydney, Australia to San Francisco, California.
March 14 – An American Airlines flight has to make an emergency landing after one of its tires blew out.
March 19 – The windscreen on a Boeing 737 cracks as an Alaskan Airlines flight makes its landing.
March 31 – A pilot on a United Airlines flight is forced to return to Frankfurt Airport after feces from the waste tank in one of the toilets overflowed, causing a foul smell in the cabin.
April 2 – An Alaska Airlines flight is forced to return to the airport after a faulty bathroom overflowed and sent water flowing down the cabin.
April 8 – A Southwest Airlines flight has to make an emergency landing in Denver, Colorado after the engine cover ripped off mid-flight.
What have Josh Dean’s family said about his death?
Dean’s mother, who posted regular updates about Dean’s deteriorating health, said he was “fighting for his life” in the hospital.
Carol said Dean’s death was “heartbreaking”.
“It was brutal what he went through,” she added.
Dean’s lawyer Brian Knowles said his death was a “loss to the aviation community and the flying public”.
He told Al Jazeera: “He possessed tremendous courage to stand up for what he felt was true and right and raised quality and safety issues.
“Aviation companies should encourage and incentivise those that do raise these concerns. Otherwise, safety and quality are truly not these companies’ top priorities.”
Spirit spokesperson Joe Buccino shared condolences saying: “Our thoughts are with Josh Dean’s family. This sudden loss is stunning news here and for his loved ones.”