A former Boeing employee has been found dead in the US state of South Carolina after he warned of manufacturing defects, but the company ignored them, ABC News reports.
John Barnett worked for Boeing for more than three decades before retiring in 2017. He filed a lawsuit against Boeing, claiming that the company retaliated against him for repeatedly reporting defects. Mr. Barnett recently testified against the aircraft maker in a lawsuit in the city of Charleston.
Mr. Barnett died from injuries he apparently self-inflicted, the Charleston County Coroner’s Office said. The department added that the City of Charleston police are investigating the case and “no further details are available at this time”.
A Boeing spokesperson told ABC that the company is “saddened by Mr. Barnett’s passing,” adding, “Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”
During his time at Boeing, the 62-year-old Louisiana native oversaw aircraft production and conducted safety inspections. He told ABC in January that he was deeply disillusioned with the company he once loved.
Boeing’s 737 MAX line of planes has come under scrutiny since two fatal crashes five years ago and the recent Alaska Airlines incident. In January, an Alaska Airlines jetliner had a window and part of its fuselage fly out shortly after takeoff over the US state of Oregon.
Mr. Barnett told the ABC he believed the problem lay deeper than the troubled MAX because of what he claimed were poor quality and safety standards. The former quality manager said:
This is a Boeing issue, this is not a 737 issue. Their culture is about speed and production and getting aeroplanes out the door. Any issues, any concerns that you bring up are going to slow them down.
Mr. Barnett told the ABC he reported several safety concerns to his bosses at the company. He said he took his concerns to the regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration, which investigated and substantiated his complaint.
