The Boeing whistleblower’s cause of death, confirmed

In early March 2024, John Barnett was found dead from an apparent suicide, days after giving a deposition about safety concerns in Boeing aircraft manufacturing. A former Boeing quality control manager, his deposition stemmed from a whistleblower retaliation case against the company, set to begin in June of this year.

Barnett’s death raised considerable alarm, and not just among conspiracy theorists. His attorneys, Robert Turkewitz and Brian Knowles, stated “He was in very good spirits and really looking forward to putting this phase of his life behind him and moving on. We didn’t see any indication he would take his own life. No one can believe it.”

On March 12, 2024, however, the Charleston County coroner confirmed that the retired Boeing employee died from self-inflicted wounds, Reuters reported.

What did John Barnett say about Boeing?

John Barnett retired from Boeing in 2017 after 32 years with the company. At the end of his career, Barnett worked at a Charleston, South Carolina plant tasked with manufacturing the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. In 2019, the former Boeing employee told the BBC that, based on what he’d seen, Dreamliner oxygen systems could stop working, and that faulty parts were used in the manufacturing to cut costs and speed production. Boeing denied Barnett’s accusations.

Barnett also said he brought his concerns to the FAA the same year he retired for health reasons. The agency said it could not substantiate his claims regarding oxygen systems. The FAA did find evidence that Boeing used non-conforming parts — or, in other words, spare parts — in Dreamliner planes. Boeing was ordered to address the issue, and the company stated that it complied.

What happened to John Barnett?

According to the AP, John Barnett, 62, was found dead in a car outside a Charleston Holiday Inn. His cause of death was later confirmed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. When Barnett’s cause of death was announced, the coroners’ office said police were investigating the case, but did not provide further details. As of March 12, 2024, Charleston police said they were awaiting “additional findings that might shed further light on the circumstances surrounding” Barnett’s death.

After John Barnett left Boeing, he brought legal action against the company, alleging they had tampered with his career in retaliation to his activities as a whistleblower. Whistleblowers such as Barnett, it should be noted, are protected under U.S. labor law. Barnett was in South Carolina in March 2024 preparing for this case. Barnett had given a deposition to Boeing attorneys, and been cross-examined by his own legal team before he died. He was due for more questioning on the day his body was discovered.

Meanwhile, Barnett’s death came amid several high-profile safety issues with Boeing aircraft. A few months earlier, a safety door fell off a plane in mid-flight. In the aftermath, The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and FAA found evidence that sub-par Boeing safety and manufacturing standards may have contributed to the accident.