A former long-time employee of Boeing, John Barnett, known for raising concerns about production standards and safety practices within the company, was found dead in the US.
Barnett had worked for Boeing for 32 years.
His death, confirmed by the Charleston County coroner, occurred as a result of a self-inflicted wound on 9 March, with authorities currently investigating the circumstances surrounding it, as the BBC reports. He was 62 years old.
During his tenure at Boeing, Barnett worked as a quality manager at the North Charleston plant, focusing on the production of the 787 Dreamliner. In recent years, he had raised concerns about production standards and safety practices within the company.
Specifically, he alleged that workers, under pressure to meet production targets, were fitting aircraft with sub-standard parts deliberately. Barnett also highlighted issues with the oxygen systems, suggesting that a significant portion of emergency breathing masks might not function properly in a crisis. He claimed that tests showed a failure rate of 25%, meaning that one in four could fail to deploy in a real-life emergency.
Despite bringing these concerns to the attention of management, Barnett claimed that no action was taken. Boeing, however, denied his allegations, although a 2017 review by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) did acknowledge some of Barnett's concerns, leading to remedial actions by the company.
John Barnett. / © via BBC
Following his retirement, Barnett pursued legal action against Boeing, accusing them of defamation and obstruction of his career progression due to the issues he raised. At the time of his death, he was in Charleston for legal proceedings related to this case. Just last week, Barnett was giving a formal deposition in which he was questioned by Boeing's lawyers.
He was expected to undergo further questioning on Saturday, but when he did not appear, enquiries were made at his hotel. He was found dead in his truck in the hotel car park.
In a statement Boeing said: "We are saddened by Mr. Barnett's passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends."
His death comes at a time when production standards at Boeing are under intense scrutiny, with countless incidents reported in the last weeks and months alone.
