Boeing Supplier Whistleblower Dies

While working at Spirit AeroSystems, Josh Dean reported improperly drilled holes on the pressure bulkhead that eventually led to a suspension of production at Boeing’s Washington State Max plant.

Russ Niles

Thursday, May 02, 2024 at 01:53 PM ET

Verified

Josh Dean filed a whistleblower complaint last November. He claimed he had been fired after reporting quality control issues at Spirit AeroSystems that eventually led to a suspension of production at Boeing’s Washington State Max plant. [Courtesy: Boeing]

Key Takeaways:

Josh Dean, a former quality control inspector at Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems and a whistleblower, has died from an aggressive antibiotic-resistant MRSA infection.
Dean was the second prominent Boeing-related whistleblower to die in two months, following John "Mitch" Harnett, and both were pursuing retaliation complaints.
He had reported significant quality control issues at Spirit AeroSystems, including improperly drilled holes on the 737 Max fuselage, and claimed he was scapegoated and fired for his disclosures.

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For the second time in two months a prominent Boeing-related whistleblower has died.

The Seattle Times is reporting Josh Dean, 45, a former quality control inspector at 737 Max fuselage supplier Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Kansas, died from an infection by an aggressive antibiotic-resistant bacteria called Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, or MRSA. He died after two weeks in critical condition with the fast-spreading infection, the last few days on life support.