February 18, 2025

The Life and Death of a Boeing Whistleblower

by The Journal

John Barnett worked at Boeing for nearly 30 years. Before he left the company, he filed a whistleblower complaint, alleging he was retaliated against for raising safety concerns. Last March, after two days of testimony, he was found dead in his truck. Police ruled his death a suicide. We tell the story of Barnett’s life, and death, as a Boeing whistleblower. 


Further Reading:

- Boeing CEO Apologizes to MAX Crash Families, Calls Culture ‘Far From Perfect’

- The Disarray Inside Boeing’s 737 Factory Before the Door Plug Blowout 

- Can Boeing Be Fixed? Aerospace Leaders Offer a Repair Manual 


Further Listening:

- The Failures Inside Boeing's 737 Factory 

- A Hole in a Plane and a Headache for Boeing 


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