A Former Boeing quality inspector-turned-whistleblower has died from an allegedly suicidal gunshot wound. His name was John Barnett.
He was a 62-year-old from Louisiana who spent over three decades at the aircraft manufacturing giant. In 2017, he raised the alarm with aviation authorities over what he said were potentially “catastrophic” safety failings.
His family said in a statement Monday that he tried to highlight serious concerns. Unfortunately, “a culture of concealment” that values “profits over safety” derailed those plans.
Charleston County Coroner Bobbi Jo O’Neal’s statement claims Barnett died from “a self-inflicted gunshot wound” on Saturday. Barnett was in town to give deposition testimony in his federal legal action against Boeing. According to his attorneys, his case was to come before an administrative law judge this summer.
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“He was in very good spirits and really looking forward to putting this phase of his life behind him and moving on,” his attorneys have said. “We didn’t see any indication he would take his own life. No one can believe it.”
They have urged local police to keep investigating despite the coroner’s initial ruling. “We are all devastated,” the attorneys said. “We need more information about what happened to John. The Charleston police need to investigate this fully and accurately and tell the public what they find out. No detail can be left unturned.”
There is no indication of foul play as of now. However, in a later statement, Charleston police spokesperson Sgt. Anthony Gibson pointed to the coroner’s preliminary findings, adding that detectives “are actively investigating this case and are awaiting the formal cause of death, along with any additional findings that might shed further light on the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Barnett.”
Barnett’s family believes that he suffered from PTSD and anxiety attacks. They also think that the “hostile work environment at Boeing” led to his death.
Barnett worked at Boeing’s 787 plant in Charleston, South Carolina, where he was hired in 2010 and 2019, The New York Times interviewed several former Boeing employees about their safety concerns. Barnett told the paper about metal shavings that could cut the flight controls’ wiring.
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The FAA had Boeing clear the shavings from the Dreamliners in 2017. But Barnett still said: “I haven’t seen a plane out of Charleston yet that I’d put my name on saying it’s safe and airworthy.”
After his retirement in 2017, Barnett filed a whistleblower complaint with federal regulators about his experiences at the South Carolina plant. He also launched a separate legal action against Boeing, accusing the company of denigrating his character and hampering his career. Boeing has denied both accusations.
According to his family, his case was up for trial this June. They said, “He was looking forward to having his day in court and hoped that it would force Boeing to change its culture.” Barnett’s problem with Boeing was finding out that “upper management was pressuring the quality inspectors and managers to cut corners.”
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His family said, “John told us that every day was a battle to get management to do the right thing.” People like him who highlighted problems were labeled “trouble-makers,” whereas previously, the company had rewarded them.
“It caused John so much stress that his doctor told him that if he stayed, he would have a heart attack,” his family said. The news follows Boeing facing regulatory and public scrutiny over a series of incidents involving its planes.
Doors flying off their hinges and sudden movement mid-flight have prompted investigations, showing that John Barnett may have been up to something.
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