On Tuesday, Joshua Dean, who passed away recently, had publicly shared his concerns regarding defects and quality-control issues at Spirit AeroSystems, a key supplier of parts for Boeing. In this context, a Spirit AeroSystems logo adorns a 737 fuselage delivered to Boeing's factory in Renton, Washington, in January.

Joshua Dean, the whistleblower who voiced apprehensions regarding Boeing jets, passes away at the age of 45

Joshua Dean, a former quality auditor at a pivotal Boeing supplier, who highlighted concerns regarding improperly drilled holes in the fuselage of 737 Max jets, has passed away.

Dean, aged 45, passed away on Tuesday morning, as announced by his family on social media. His family informed NPR on Thursday that Dean had swiftly deteriorated into critical condition after being diagnosed with an MRSA bacterial infection.

He was transported via airlift from a hospital in Wichita, Kansas, to another facility in Oklahoma City, but despite efforts by medical teams, his life could not be saved, as reported first by The Seattle Times.

"Yesterday morning, he passed away, and his absence will be deeply felt. We will always love you, Josh," expressed Dean's aunt, Carol Dean Parsons, through Facebook.

Dean raised quality issues in manufacturing 737 Max

Dean brought attention to quality issues in the manufacturing of 737 Max jets. He was among the pioneers in flagging potentially hazardous defects with 737 Max jets at Spirit AeroSystems, a significant Boeing supplier that separated from the aircraft manufacturer in 2005.

Presently, federal investigators are intensifying their scrutiny of Spirit and Boeing to comprehend what led to the incident involving a door panel detachment from an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 in midair in January. This event marks the latest episode in the prolonged and troubled association between the two companies.

"Our thoughts are with Josh Dean's family. This sudden loss is shocking news for us and his loved ones," stated Spirit spokesman Joe Buccino in a released statement.

Dean becomes the second whistleblower associated with Boeing to pass away in the last three months. In March, John Barnett, aged 62, died in Charleston, S.C., "from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound," as stated by the local coroner. At the time, Barnett had been giving testimony in his lawsuit against Boeing for retaliation. Authorities in Charleston affirm that they are still investigating his demise.

Both Dean and Barnett were represented by attorney Brian Knowles.

"Josh's passing is a loss to the aviation community and the flying public," stated Knowles in a released statement. "He exhibited tremendous courage in standing up for what he believed was true and just, addressing quality and safety concerns. Aviation companies should promote and reward individuals who raise such concerns."

Dean rapidly went from healthy to being hospitalized

Dean's health deteriorated rapidly, leading to hospitalization. His mother and stepfather depict him as a diligent and upright individual, a "health enthusiast" who seldom drank and regularly attended church. They attribute his career success to his exceptional memory and meticulousness.

"He was simply remarkable," remarked Winn Weir, Dean's stepfather. "He could read something, and then days later, he could recite it verbatim to you."

Dean began feeling unwell approximately two weeks ago, as recounted by his mother, Virginia Green, to NPR. He took a couple of days off work due to illness, but his condition worsened.

"On Sunday [April 21], he called me, saying he was very ill and having difficulty breathing," Green recounted. "He mentioned he had visited urgent care, and they diagnosed him with strep throat."

Green went to check on her son at his residence, advising him to contact her if his condition worsened.

"A couple of hours later, he called me from the emergency room," she recalled. "He was frightened. They had discovered something on his lungs."

"He tested positive for influenza B, he tested positive for MRSA. He had pneumonia, his lungs were completely filled up. And from there, he just went downhill."

Initially treated at St. Joseph hospital in Wichita, Dean's condition worsened, prompting his transfer to an Integris hospital in Oklahoma City.

This sudden downturn was a shock for Dean and his family. Green described him as extremely healthy—a gym-goer who ran nearly every day and was meticulous about his diet.

"This was his first time ever in a hospital," she remarked. "He didn't even have a doctor because he never was sick."

However, within days, Dean's kidneys failed, and he required an ECMO life support machine to assist his heart and lungs. The night before his passing, medical staff in Oklahoma conducted a bronchoscopy on his lungs.

"The doctor said he'd never seen anything like it before in his life. His lungs were just totally... gummed up, and like a mesh over them."

Green sought an autopsy to ascertain the exact cause of her son's death. She anticipates that results will be available in months.

Dean alleged that quality-control systems were flawed

"We're not sure what he died of," she expressed. "We know that he had a bunch of viruses. But you know, we don't know if somebody did something to him, or did he just get real sick."

Dean, who alleged flaws in quality-control systems, followed his father and grandfather into the commercial aviation industry, holding various positions in the same Wichita factory.

After obtaining an engineering degree, Dean began working at Spirit in 2019. Despite being laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he returned to the company in 2021 as a quality auditor.

Taking his role seriously, Dean grew increasingly frustrated with what he perceived as a "culture of not counting defects correctly" at Spirit.

In interviews conducted in January, Dean revealed that Spirit pressured employees to refrain from reporting defects to expedite plane production.

"Now, I'm not saying they don't want you to go out there and inspect a job. You know, they do," Dean told NPR. "But if you make too much trouble, you will get the Josh treatment. You will get what happened to me."

Dean was terminated in April of the previous year—according to him, in retaliation for highlighting improperly drilled holes in fuselages.

Gave testimony in a shareholder lawsuit against Spirit

"I think they were sending out a message to anybody else," Dean remarked. "If you are too loud, we will silence you."

Dean provided testimony in a shareholder lawsuit against Spirit, describing his observations while working for the company. The shareholders accuse Spirit of misleading investors by concealing "excessive" numbers of defects at the Kansas factory. Although not a plaintiff in the case, Dean's deposition offered insight into the situation.

In the shareholder lawsuit, Dean revealed that he raised a significant concern—mis-drilled holes in the aft pressure bulkhead of 737 Max fuselages—months before his termination. His deposition provides a timeline of key events:

October 2022: While in his role as an auditor, Dean discovers that Spirit workers have mis-drilled holes on the 737 Max aft pressure bulkhead, posing a potential risk to cabin pressure during flight. The lawsuit alleges that the company concealed this issue.

April 13, 2023: Boeing publicly acknowledges discovering a separate defect related to tail fin fittings on specific 737 Max aircraft. Spirit subsequently confirms this defect.

April 26, 2023: Dean is terminated by Spirit, with the company claiming he failed to report the tail fin issue. In his testimony, Dean explains that he had just uncovered the bulkhead problem and was focused on addressing it.

August 23, 2023: Boeing announces the discovery of fastener holes in the aft pressure bulkhead on certain 737 Max aircraft that do not meet specifications, resulting in elongated "snowmen" shapes due to multiple holes. This is the same issue flagged by Dean ten months earlier. On the same day, Spirit issues a statement acknowledging the problem.

The shareholder lawsuit accuses Spirit of concealing the bulkhead defect "not only from investors, but also apparently from Boeing."

Boeing and Spirit look for ways to boost quality

A spokesman for Spirit asserts that the company strongly disputes the allegations in the lawsuit and is contesting the case in court.

Boeing and Spirit explore strategies to enhance quality. Boeing is currently negotiating the acquisition of Spirit as its leaders acknowledge potential over-reliance on outsourced manufacturing.

"Did it go too far? Yeah, probably did. Now it's here and now, and now I've got to deal with it," remarked Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun in an interview with CNBC earlier this year.

Last month, Boeing agreed to provide $425 million in advance funding to Spirit as it endeavors to enhance its manufacturing quality.

In discussions with NPR, Joshua Dean expressed concern about the challenge of replacing the skilled workforce that Spirit lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The mechanics and inspectors aren't as seasoned. We've lost that," Dean remarked.

Despite his public disclosure of quality control issues at Spirit, Dean remained optimistic about the future. He noted that CEO Patrick Shanahan, who assumed the position in late 2023, had a unique opportunity to instigate positive cultural changes at Spirit.

"What you really want is someone to step up as the hero," Dean stated, highlighting Shanahan's potential to act as "the new sheriff in town."

"We need to ensure there's no retaliation or intimidation," Dean emphasized. "The culture of silencing or moving people who speak out loudly has to end."