John Barnett, a Boeing quality-control manager in South Carolina from 2010 to 2017, reported that production pressure encouraged workers to avoid documenting defects and, in some cases, allowed mechanics to inspect their own work. He said inspectors recorded roughly 300 defects in one Spirit AeroSystems section before a later inspection was limited to 50. In 2017, Barnett reported that about 25% of tested 787 emergency-oxygen systems failed to deliver oxygen; Boeing’s internal investigation corroborated malfunctioning masks. An FAA review also found at least 53 missing “non-conforming” parts and ordered remedial action. The FAA later mandated removal of metal shavings found near flight-control wiring, although Boeing said the issue was not a flight-safety concern.
Barnett alleged that Boeing demoted and reassigned him after he raised concerns, claims the company denied. OSHA closed his AIR 21 whistleblower complaint in Boeing’s favor in 2021 after a four-year investigation, but Barnett appealed and his case remained pending after his March 9, 2024 death. The Charleston County coroner and police concluded that Barnett died by suicide after a period of serious personal distress related to the litigation; available evidence did not support online assassination theories. A December 2021 Senate Commerce Committee report separately found inadequate FAA oversight of Boeing and whistleblower complaints, while Boeing’s CFO Brian West acknowledged in March 2024 that the company had prioritized moving aircraft through factories over completing work correctly.
