Boeing is facing a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of former whistleblower John Barnett, who took his own life last year. The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday in the US District Court of South Carolina, attributes Barnett’s death to a retaliatory campaign by his managers at Boeing. The legal action comes in the wake of Barnett's allegations about serious safety issues with the 787 Dreamliner, a state-of-the-art airliner primarily used on long-haul routes.
In recent developments, Boeing appointed Kelly Ortberg as its new chief executive last year. Under Ortberg's leadership, Boeing has produced a detailed action plan to address concerns raised by regulators about issues on the factory floor. Despite these efforts, the lawsuit claims that at least 53 "non-conforming" parts remain unaccounted for within the factory, raising questions about operational oversight.
John Barnett, a former quality manager at Boeing, had raised alarm over significant problems with the 787's oxygen systems. He asserted that these issues could result in one in four breathing masks failing during an emergency. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) upheld some of Barnett’s concerns during a 2017 review. However, Boeing denied these assertions, maintaining that engineering analysis concluded the issues did not compromise airplane safety.
"Boeing reviewed and addressed quality issues that Mr Barnett raised before he retired in 2017, as well as other quality issues referred to in the complaint. Engineering analysis determined the issues he raised did not affect airplane safety." – Boeing
The lawsuit further alleges that Barnett was subjected to harassment and abuse after raising safety concerns. This campaign of intimidation reportedly contributed to his depression and severe anxiety, leading to his early retirement in March 2017.
"I can't do this any longer!! Enough!!" – John Barnett
Boeing has issued a brief statement in response to the lawsuit being filed. The company expressed appreciation for employees who raise their voices about safety issues and stated that systems are in place to encourage such disclosures confidentially or anonymously.
"We appreciate employees who raise their voice, and we have systems in place to encourage them to speak up confidentially or anonymously." – Boeing
Barnett’s claims also included accusations that under-pressure workers intentionally fitted sub-standard parts to aircraft on the production line and failed to follow procedures meant to track components through the factory. These practices allegedly allowed defective components to go missing, exacerbating safety concerns.
"Under-pressure workers had been deliberately fitting sub-standard parts to aircraft on the production line." – John Barnett
"Workers had failed to follow procedures intended to track components through the factory, allowing defective components to go missing." – John Barnett
The family's lawsuit argues that Boeing's conduct was the "clear, foreseeable cause" of Barnett’s death. The legal proceedings underscore ongoing challenges for Boeing as it seeks to restore confidence in its operations and address regulatory concerns.