Two whistleblowers who raised concerns about the Boeing 737 MAX have died unexpectedly in recent months, casting a spotlight on potential safety issues and the treatment of those who report them.
Joshua Dean, a 45-year-old former quality auditor at Spirit AeroSystems, a major Boeing supplier that builds parts for the 737 MAX, died on Tuesday, The Seattle Times reported.
Previously in good health, Dean fell ill just two weeks prior with breathing difficulties. Hospitalized and placed on a ventilator, he developed pneumonia and then a serious bacterial infection, MRSA.
Dean was one of the first to allege that Spirit leadership ignored manufacturing defects on the 737 MAX. He filed a complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) detailing "serious and gross misconduct by senior quality management" at Spirit's 737 production line.
He further supported these claims in a deposition for a Spirit shareholder lawsuit.
Following his efforts to raise safety concerns, Dean was fired by Spirit in April 2023. He subsequently filed a complaint with the Department of Labor alleging retaliation for his actions.
"Our thoughts are with Josh Dean's family," said Spirit spokesperson Joe Buccino in a statement. "This sudden loss is stunning news here and for his loved ones," according to The Seattle Times.
Dean's death comes just months after the passing of another Boeing whistleblower, John "Mitch" Barnett.
Barnett, a former Boeing engineer, raised concerns about the 737 MAX flight control system in 2017, well before the model's grounding following two fatal crashes. He later alleged that Boeing pressured him to downplay the seriousness of the issues.
The deaths of these whistleblowers have raised questions about potential safety lapses within the 737 MAX program and the treatment of employees who raise such concerns.
The FAA is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding Dean's claims against Spirit, while the Department of Labor will review his retaliation complaint.
The 737 MAX was grounded worldwide for 20 months following the crashes of Lion Air Flight 610 in October 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in March 2019.
The grounding was lifted after Boeing made significant software and hardware changes to the aircraft.
More recently, in January 2024, a Boeing 737 MAX 9 panel broke off over the western state of Oregon, forcing the U.S. air safety regulator to halt some of the same aircraft models pending inspections.
