Former Boeing Quality Auditor Dies After Flagging Safety Concerns

Joshua Dean, a former quality auditor at a key Boeing supplier, died following a brief illness.

Dean had flagged safety concerns and alleged misconduct by the aircraft manufacturer.

Joshua Dean, a former quality auditor at Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems, died on May 2, 2024, following a brief illness. Dean had raised safety concerns and alleged misconduct by the aircraft manufacturer to federal regulators and the media.

In 2023, Dean went public with his concerns about quality control issues at Spirit AeroSystems, a major supplier of parts for Boeing's 737 and 787 aircraft. Dean alleged that Boeing had pressured Spirit to ship defective parts and that the company had retaliated against him for speaking out.

Boeing has denied the allegations and said that it is committed to safety. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the allegations.

Dean's death has raised concerns about the safety of Boeing aircraft and the treatment of whistleblowers in the aviation industry.