Looks like pointing out the flaws of Boeing is life-threatening. At least a second specialist who tried to do this suddenly died. What preceded this and the cause of death stated in the official report can be found in the article.
The man’s death occurred on April 30, which became known the next day. But this is far from the first mention of Joshua Din in tabloids and media. The name of the 43-year-old American became known in 2022.
Passengers in danger
At that time, the man worked as a quality auditor for Boeing Spirit AeroSystems. During his official investigations, he found that the company was violating the drilling technology of holes in the sealed stringers of the MAX series aircraft.
The stringer is a vital element of the fuselage that simultaneously acts as a transitional point for the electrical, hydraulic, vacuum, oxygen, and other aircraft communications while also ensuring a seal. Joshua Din discovered that the mechanics were drilling holes with technology violations.
This is an extremely critical situation that the auditor immediately reported to his superiors, but there was no reaction. Or rather, there was a reaction, but not the one Din expected. The management found that the auditor had missed another defect, although much less critical. Based on this, he was dismissed.
Against the system
Joshua Din himself decided not to leave this matter and filed a complaint with the US Federal Aviation Administration to warn of the risks of accidents. The case was being handled in Kansas, where the man lived and worked. Shareholders of the Spirit company filed the lawsuit. A former colleague testified to the presence of “serious and gross deficiencies in the senior management of the production line quality for the 737”.
Officially, he was dismissed from his position a year before his death, in April 2023. After that, he filed a complaint with the Ministry of Labor, stating that the dismissal procedure was due to retaliation for pointing out shortcomings and insisting on their correction, which led to publicity and reputational damage to the company.
While the investigation was ongoing, Joshua Dean felt fine and never complained of feeling unwell. It is worth noting that the man always led a healthy lifestyle. However, two weeks before his death, he suddenly started experiencing breathing problems. His family immediately took him to the hospital, where they were informed that he had pneumonia, which quickly developed into a bacterial infection. For two weeks, he remained in critical condition and passed away in the hospital.
The death itself seemed normal, but considering another strange case, it appears suspicious. The case involves Boeing employee John “Mitch” Barnett, who was also implicated in a scandal regarding the safety of this corporation’s aircraft before his death. He was actually a witness in the Boeing malfunction case when he suddenly committed suicide. At least, that’s what the coroner of Charleston County reported. According to their findings, the cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot wound. And this all happened a month before Joshua Dean’s sudden death. The investigation into that suicide is still ongoing.
In reality, two unrelated deaths of young men who were involved in similar activities can occur. But the situation is complicated by the fact that in April, one of Boeing’s aircraft did not return to the airport due to serious technical malfunctions. This could lead to delays in the delivery of about fifty aircraft from the manufacturer. This entails substantial amounts of money. Against this backdrop, the deaths of two specialists who pointed out defects take on a completely different light.
