March 12 (UPI) — A former Boeing employee and whistleblower, who raised concerns about quality control on the airplane manufacturer’s 787 Dreamliner production line, has been found dead of an apparent suicide.
John Barnett, who worked for Boeing for 32 years until he retired in 2017, was found dead Friday in his truck at a hotel parking lot in South Carolina, according to the Charleston County Coroner’s office.
Barnett had worked as a quality manager for the 787 production line and often raised concerns to Boeing management, which he said were ignored, before retiring and becoming a whistleblower in 2019.
Barnett’s death comes amid increased scrutiny over Boeing’s 737 Max after a door plug blew out mid-flight in January, and a “technical problem” on board a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which dropped mid-air Monday injuring 50 people.
Barnett, 62, was in Charleston last week for questioning in a defamation suit against the company after claiming that overworked employees at Boeing’s South Carolina plant often installed faulty parts on 787 Dreamliners, in a rush to get the jets through the production line.
According to Barnett, the 787 Dreamliner failed 25% of the tests of its emergency oxygen systems. Despite the Federal Aviation Administration finding 50 “non-conforming” parts that were untraceable, Boeing has denied Barnett’s allegations.
Police in South Carolina are investigating Barnett’s death.
Boeing issued a statement, saying, “We are saddened by Mr. Barnett’s passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends.”
