South Carolina: John Barnett, the Boeing whistleblower, has revealed many ways that question the safety issues on the aircraft. He was found dead in his truck at the hotel parking lot in South Carolina, US. The reason for his death is still unknown.
Barnett raised disquiet on the use of components that failed the statuary checks in the frame of 787 aircraft production. He claimed that the strains on the workers were the reasons why they were forced install such substandard parts after production started in South Carolina.
He complained about the production process and his feeling that it was unsafe and hasty.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) worked through a review in 2017 some of which confirmed a few reasons Barnet’s expressed. FAA has found the presence of at least 53 parts bearing an unknown position.
Barnett found that 25% of the emergency oxygen systems on the 787s had failed , which may have contributed to the pilots’ difficulty in obtaining normoxia. The fact that Boeing was allowed to speak, who stated that “some oxygen bottles have been delivered from the supplier that have not performed the function properly”, but then assured that none of these was installed on any aircraft, came out as shocking to me.
Barnett made a lawsuit for defamation against Boeing. He claimed that the organization had damaged his career and name due to his whistleblowing. Boeing has been adamant not to take.
At the time of his death, Barnett was engaged in a legal battle with Boeing, which involved both parties’ attorneys. He filed a deposition where he was questioned by Boeing’s legal team and cross-examined by his own. He was scheduled for further questioning on Saturday, but before that the hotel authority found his lifeless body the car park.
Boeing expressed their sorrow, stating: “We are saddened by Mr. Barnett’s passing, and our thoughts are with his family and friends.”
The investigation into Barnett’s death is ongoing, with the Charleston City Police Department leading the inquiry. “Charleston City Police Department is the investigating agency. No further details are available at this time,” the office of Charleston County Coroner Bobbi Jo O’Neal quoted to Al Jazeera.
