A former quality auditor for Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, Joshua Dean, died suddenly at age 45 from a rapid infection.
He had been one of the first whistleblowers to allege Spirit leadership ignored manufacturing defects on the 737 MAX.
Dean filed a complaint with the FAA and a shareholder lawsuit over “serious and gross misconduct” on the 737 production line.
Spirit fired Dean in April 2023, and he filed a Labor Department complaint alleging retaliation for raising safety concerns.
He believed his termination was meant to deter others from speaking out.
Dean was represented by the same law firm as John “Mitch” Barnett, another Boeing whistleblower.
Barnett, 62, was found dead from an apparent suicide in March while giving depositions alleging Boeing retaliated against him.
Dean’s unexpected death following his efforts to expose safety issues in Boeing’s supply chain continues to raise questions.
