Suspected Cause of Injury from Self-Harm
Died While Preparing for Legal Battle with Management
Amid a series of recent accidents involving Boeing passenger planes, a former American whistleblower who exposed defects in Boeing aircraft was found dead. Local investigators are currently examining the specific cause of death.
On the 12th (Korean time), the British BBC reported that John Barnett, a former Boeing employee, was found dead on the 9th in a hotel parking lot in Charleston, North Carolina. While the exact circumstances of the incident are under investigation by local police, the current cause of death is considered to be a "self-inflicted wound."
Barnett was a veteran Boeing employee who retired in 2017. From 2010 to 2017, he worked as a quality control manager on the production line of the 787 Dreamliner model at Boeing's North Charleston plant. He worked at Boeing for approximately 32 years.
He became a whistleblower in 2019, when he told the BBC that "workers were deliberately installing substandard parts on aircraft on the production line." One of the main issues he raised was the aircraft oxygen mask system, claiming that one out of every four masks might fail to operate in an emergency.
He also alleged that the headquarters rushed the aircraft assembly process, potentially compromising safety, and that the procedures for tracking parts installed in the aircraft were inadequately handled. However, Boeing completely denied Barnett's claims at the time.
Nevertheless, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) acknowledged some of Barnett's claims as true. According to the FAA report, at least 53 "nonconforming" parts inside the aircraft could not be located and were ultimately considered "lost." The FAA demanded Boeing to rectify these issues.
Meanwhile, after retiring from Boeing in 2017, Barnett was preparing a lawsuit against the company. He claimed that Boeing had obstructed his career because of his whistleblowing. Before being found dead, Barnett was staying at a hotel in Charleston and was preparing for interviews related to the trial.
Following the news of Barnett's death, Boeing issued an official statement saying, "We mourn the passing of Mr. Barnett. We extend our condolences to his family and acquaintances."
Boeing has been facing a series of aircraft defect issues since early this year. In January, a Boeing 737 Max 9 experienced an incident where part of the fuselage detached during flight, forcing an emergency landing. Subsequent self-inspections by several airlines owning the same model revealed that bolts on the side of the fuselage were loosely fastened.
The U.S. financial media outlet The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 11th that the U.S. Department of Justice has launched an investigation into the accident aircraft.
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