A former Boeing employee known for raising concerns about the firm’s production standards has been found dead in the US. John Barnett, who had worked for Boeing for 32 years until his retirement in 2017, was discovered to have died from a ‘self-inflicted’ wound on 9th March.

Prior to his death, Barnett had been giving evidence in a whistleblower lawsuit against the company. The Charleston County coroner confirmed his death and stated that the police were investigating the circumstances surrounding his passing.

Barnett, who had served as a quality manager at the North Charleston plant making the 787 Dreamliner, revealed to the BBC in 2019 that workers had been fitting sub-standard parts to aircraft on the production line under pressure. He also raised concerns about serious problems with oxygen systems, indicating that one in four breathing masks would not work in an emergency.

He further expressed that the assembly process was rushed and safety compromised due to the push to get new aircraft built, a claim that was denied by the company. Barnett also highlighted cases where sub-standard parts were removed from scrap bins and fitted to planes being built to prevent delays on the production line. Additionally, he alleged that tests on emergency oxygen systems showed a failure rate of 25%.

Despite alerting managers to his concerns, Barnett asserted that no action had been taken. Boeing refuted his claims; however, a 2017 review by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) did uphold some of Barnett’s concerns. The review revealed that at least 53 ‘non-conforming’ parts in the factory were considered lost, and Boeing was instructed to take remedial action.

Following his retirement, Barnett initiated legal action against the company, accusing it of denigrating his character and impeding his career due to the issues he raised, charges that were dismissed by Boeing.