Joshua Dean, a former quality auditor at Spirit AeroSystems and a whistleblower who raised concerns about the company's manufacturing practices for Boeing's 737 MAX planes, died suddenly on Tuesday morning from a fast-growing mystery infection. The 45-year-old Wichita, Kansas resident had been in good health until about two weeks ago when he was admitted to the hospital with breathing difficulties.
Dean's condition rapidly deteriorated, and he tested positive for influenza B, MRSA, and pneumonia. He was intubated, put on dialysis, and eventually airlifted to another hospital in Oklahoma City, where a CT scan revealed he had also suffered a stroke. Doctors were considering amputating his hands and feet, which had turned black from the infection, before his passing.
"He is in the worst condition I have ever known or heard of. Even the hospital agrees," his sister-in-law, Kristen Dean, wrote on Facebook Saturday, detailing the life-saving procedures doctors were attempting to save him.
Dean had raised the alarm about defects while working at Spirit Aerosystems, a Kansas-based company that manufactures aircraft parts for Boeing, in 2022. He claimed that the company was ignoring production defects, such as improperly drilled bulkhead holes on parts for Boeing 373 Max planes. Less than a year after raising these concerns, he was fired.
JUST IN: A second whistleblower connected to Boeing has suddenly died at the age of 45 after catching a “sudden illness.”
Whistleblower Joshua Dean was known for being in good health and having a healthy lifestyle.
Dean was one of the first whistleblowers to accuse Boeing… pic.twitter.com/XVac3BlcEU — Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 2, 2024
"I think they were sending out a message to anybody else," Dean later told NPR of his firing. "If you are too loud, we will silence you."
Following his termination, Dean filed a complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration, claiming he was scapegoated in Spirit's effort to keep the Boeing production issues secret. In November 2023, he also filed a complaint with the Department of Labor on the grounds of wrongful termination, which was still pending at the time of his death.
Dean's claims were backed up by one of his former colleagues following a January incident involving a door hatch that flew off a Boeing 737 Max 9 during an Alaska Airlines flight. "It is known at Spirit that if you make too much noise and cause too much trouble, you will be moved," Dean told the Wall Street Journal earlier this year.
Dean's death comes less than two months after another Boeing whistleblower, John Barnett, died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in March. Barnett's lawyers raised concerns about his death, stating, "we didn't see any indication he would take his own life ... no one can believe it," and urged a thorough investigation.
Both Dean and Barnett were represented by the same lawyer, Brian Knowles, who told TIME, "Josh's passing is a loss to the aviation community and the flying public. He possessed tremendous courage to stand up for what he felt was true and right and raised quality and safety issues."
When asked about the growing theories linking his clients' back-to-back deaths, Knowles said he "would like to see the evidence from the investigating authorities," adding that "what society does not need is people in fear to speak up."
Spirit Aerosystems, in a statement to multiple outlets, expressed their condolences, saying, "Our thoughts are with Josh Dean's family. This sudden loss is stunning news here and for his loved ones."
The deaths of these two whistleblowers within a short period have raised concerns about the safety culture at Boeing and its suppliers. As the company faces intense scrutiny following recent incidents, such as the loss of a fuselage section during an Alaska Airlines flight in January, the importance of whistleblowers in ensuring the safety and quality of aircraft manufacturing has become increasingly apparent.
