News / 'I'm scared', says Boeing whistleblower, after two others suffer mysterious deaths

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Josh Dean, 45, yesterday became the second Boeing whistleblower to die in mysterious circumstances.

He succumbed after “a sudden, fast-spreading infection”, according to the Seattle Times, which broke the story.

Mr Dean had not disclosed any life-threatening health concerns prior to being admitted to an Oklahoma City Hospital two weeks ago, after developing sudden breathing trouble. His condition deteriorated rapidly, contracting first pneumonia and then an MRSA infection, followed by a stroke.

His sudden grave illness and death follows the apparent suicide of John Barnett, 62, found dead behind the wheel of his truck in a hotel car park on the morning of a scheduled deposition over safety issues on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Mr Dean had claimed mechanics were improperly drilling holes in the aft pressure bulkhead of the 737 Max, an issue that affected production of the aircraft as early as 2019. He claimed to have personally discovered the issue as early as October 2022, and subsequently raised it with Spirit AeroSystems’ management.

In August 2023, some time after Mr Dean was fired, Spirit revealed the aft pressure bulkhead findings, causing another production delay.

Mr Dean wrote in his US Department of Labor complaint that he had been fired for raising concerns, writing: “After I was fired, Spirit AeroSystems [initially] did nothing to inform the FAA, and the public [about the flawed bulkheads].” 

Sam Salehpour, a Boeing quality inspector who turned whistleblower, claimed that after raising concerns over the Boeing 787, he was involuntarily transferred to the 777 programme; at which point he raised quality concerns about that aircraft as well, alleging that engineers jumped up and down on panels to force them to fit.

Mr Salehpour told lawmakers he was told by a supervisor: “I would have killed anyone who said what you said, if it was from some other group… I would tear them apart.”

At end March, Boeing had 15 767-300 freighters remaining on order for FedEx Express and 21 for UPS. It also has 777 freighters on order for Maersk, Air China Cargo, DHL and FedEx. The 737, 767, 777 and 787 aircraft series have all been implicated in production line problems.

Last Friday, a Delta Airlines passenger 767-300 was forced to return to New York JFK Airport after the right wing’s emergency slide deployed and fell off during take-off. The slide was said to have washed up outside the beach house of Jake Bissell-Linsk, a New York attorney whose firm, Labaton Kelley Sucharow, is participating in legal action against Boeing.

Like Mr Dean and Mr Barnett, Mr Salehpour has not disclosed any life-threatening physical illnesses, nor is he understood be suffering from suicidal tendencies. However, he remarked in a court deposition on 17 April that he was “at peace” should “something happen” to him.

“The threats … really scare me, believe me,” he said, but added that “whatever happens, happens… I feel like by coming forward, I will be saving a lot of lives.”

Aside from Mr Barnett and Mr Dean, there are some 30 Boeing whistleblowers, including Mr Salehpour. The Loadstar wishes them long, prosperous lives of good mental and physical health.