Joshua Dean, a 45-year-old former quality auditor at Spirit AeroSystems who had recently become a whistleblower about manufacturing defects on the Boeing 737 MAX, tragically passed away following a sudden illness. Boeing whistleblowers keep passing away.
- Dean, residing in Wichita, Kansas where Spirit is headquartered, succumbed to a fast-spreading infection and complications including pneumonia and MRSA, leading to critical condition and intensive medical interventions such as intubation and ECMO support.
- Prior to becoming a whistleblower he’d been in good health. He developed severe respiratory issues two weeks ago.
Spirit AeroSystems expressed condolences,
Our thoughts are with Josh Dean’s family. This sudden loss is stunning news here and for his loved ones.
Boeing 737 Production In Renton, Washington
Dean was at the forefront of raising alarms about safety and production standards.
- In October 2022, he reported a significant manufacturing defect at Spirit—a critical component of the Boeing 737 MAX was compromised due to improper drilling practices.
- No action was taken, and Dean faced termination six months later after revealing another oversight involving the aircraft’s vertical tail fin attachment.
- Dean then filed a whistleblower complaint with the Federal Aviation Administration alleging “serious and gross misconduct by senior quality management of the 737 production line” and a wrongful termination claim with the Department of Labor alleging retaliation.
This comes after John Barnett – also represented by the same legal firm as Dean – died in Charleston, South Carolina. Barnett had been a Boeing employee vocal about quality lapses at Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner factory and was found deceased from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound during a period of active legal proceedings against Boeing.
It does not seem likely there was foul play here. Surely if there was going to be, it would have happened earlier in the process – and the method would be different?
A normal passing due to illness . Happens frequently .
Perhaps a diseased dog ?
This is a coincidence.
Intentionally giving someone a “rapidly spreading” infection that leads to ECMO is theoretically possible but almost impossible from a practical standpoint. The only plausible option is Anthrax and the MD would have discovered that
MRSA is extremely common in the ICU. About 25-75% of patients will get it. More likely he had it incidentally or caught it in ICU.
Given that he is from Wichita, he probably started with Strep pneumonia, Staph pneumonia, influenza or (I hate to say it) COVID. Often starts with “Farmer’s Lung” in communities like Wichita. Less likely Community Acquired MRSA or Aspergillus or Histoplasma, but these do happen.
If he lives on a farm then Farmer’s Lung followed by Histo/Aspergillus is very plausible (contracting the MRSA after admission)
This is in some ways a demonstration of percentages.
When people say that a disease “only causes hospitalization 1% of the time” that means that 1 person out of 100 *will* be hospitalized and possibly die.
Very sad but it’s better to ensure that people don’t start a conspiracy theory here
Perhaps Putin is now running Boeing?
Our hearts go out to these families whose loved ones may have accidentally tripped and fallen out of these high rise buildings windows
They were kind enough before falling out of the window to state in writing that there is nothing wrong with our perfect planes
Are the Clintons involved?
Nothing to see here. No foul play whatsoever!
“t does not seem likely there was foul play here. Surely if there was going to be, it would have happened earlier in the process – and the method would be different?”…That’s what “THEY” want you to think,
Killing someone 45 years old by pneumonia is such an ineffective and odd way that even Putin and the Cold War era Bulgarians wouldn’t use it. Use of radioactive substances, poisons, “accidental” falls out of windows, Novochok and gunshots are all more effective ways of killing.
In an elderly person, don’t get fooled by pneumonia or a urinary tract infection. They can spiral out of control leading to death.
“It does not seem likely there was foul play here. Surely if there was going to be, it would have happened earlier in the process – and the method would be different?”
Not necessarily because you sometimes want stuff to play out a little to see if it blows over. If it doesn’t, then you can always Clinton or Putin the situation. Let’s hope the situation at Boeing isn’t so bad that they have to do a Stalin…..And don’t call me Shurley.
Thr perfect assassination tool. No forensics to trace nor to way to prove it was deliberate since the pathogen is common. I had a coworker who was about to retire. He was very good at labor relations court cases. When wors got around on what his full-time intention were he quickly came down with dementia. Very healthy guy didn’t smoke and hardly ever drank. Being too close to NIH were biological pathogens are convenient no way to pin down if the virus for mad cow disease was ever planted in his food lunch box since the virus is fairly common in many mutations. The perfect murder.
I am sure this is but a sad coincidence, but in the “atmosphere” of today’s hyper media saturation, some sort of conspiracy theory is bound to “fly.”
Wow!
Why should I gamble with my life working for or flying on Boeing? Just a feeling of high risk. I actively search out flights on Airbus, Embraer, Canadair and avoid Boeing. Last week I did fly a B777. So it’s not like I can totally avoid associating with Boeing. But I haven’t flown a B737 in many years. Just a queezy feeling about Boeing. So risky. I like to confine my gambling to Vegas tables or Wall Street stocks. Don’t want to gamble on Boeing aircraft.
I’m not saying it was Hillary but it was Hillary.
Not a physician, but pneumonia and widespread MRSA in an apparently healthy 45-year-old with no prior lung issues seems a bit unusual at minimum. Boeing may design their intimidation tactics to so wear down their targets emotionally, mentally and physically that they finally give up. But when push comes to shove, who knows? I’m not a conspiracy theorist, but has anyone heard of any further investigation of Barnett’s suspicious death? The silence is unsettling. The morning he was found, Barnett was in his 3rd and final day of depositions, this time before Boeing’s lawyers.
Why would he all of a sudden give up after decades of fighting?? He even suggested to a friend that if he turned up dead, it would NOT be by suicide!!
Gary, I really like your and your blog. That being said, spreading/starting/flaming a conspiracy theory like this is just beneath you. I can personally attest that infections like this one can and do spread very fast and often lead to death. I worked at one of the largest hospitals in the entire world (Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio) and complications and infections happen often. MRSA is happening more and more (so everyone take your antibiotics as directed and finish the WHOLE course please). I think you should do a follow up to this story with a less clickbaity title and sharing all the info from relevant reporting and investigations. This sounds like total coincidence, albeit an unfortunate one.
@BenG – This is a big story, being reported broadly, and I offer my take: “It does not seem likely there was foul play here. Surely if there was going to be, it would have happened earlier in the process – and the method would be different?”
@Gary-
Headline: Deadly Pattern Emerges At Boeing As Second Boeing Whistleblower Found Dead Amid Safety Scandal
Commentary: “It does not seem likely there was foul play here. Surely if there was going to be, it would have happened earlier in the process – and the method would be different?”
So what is the Deadly Pattern? I have to side with BenG on this one. Your reporting is better than this.
Deadly pattern = subsequent deaths
Sound like a decent movie plot for a Hollywood spy thriller…
But is the NSA/CIA/DOD/Boeing really killing whistleblowers ?
Stay tuned to this Bat Channel to find out !
“Not a physician, but pneumonia and widespread MRSA in an apparently healthy 45-year-old with no prior lung issues seems a bit unusual at minimum”
I *am* a physician, and have managed many patients like this who went on to ECMO and death.
Please re-read my note above. Intentionally killing someone with a respiratory infection is unrealistic, relegated to MacGyver shows and Tom Clancy novels.
Far easier as others said to poison them, fake their suicide, or give them psedo dementia (version of poisoning).
As said above : unusual things happen all the time in medicine. This is why we recommend the influenza vaccine *even though* it’s rarely fatal. And yet our ICU are full of influenza patients every year.
It’s why we recommend the pneumococcal and RSV vaccine to kids and people older than 60-65
But what doesn’t happen? Spies running around with a deadly aerosolized infection that they can use to target one person, AND ensure that it attacks them and leads to death. With the exception of Anthrax. And if it were Anthrax it would have been diagnosed and in the news (or require the mother of all cover ups, bigger than JFK)
It’s like a window convention in Russia; Let the bodies – errr chips – fall where they may.
Gary,
“Deadly pattern” is not in any way equitable to “subsequent deaths”. For starters, two of anything hardly constitutes a pattern. But, more importantly, “Deadly pattern” is such a hopelessly loaded and slanted characterization that you don’t get off the hook by saying “It does not seem like there was any foul play here”.
Dominick Gates, who broke the story, had to jump in on Twitter to slam all the folks reading conspiracy theories where none existed. And here you go, with your over the top clickbait-y misleading headline, fanning the flames yourself.
This is without a doubt the worst headline and article I’ve ever read on View From The Wing. You’re no journalist so you get some slack for not knowing how to properly phrase a tricky headline but try and act like a human being and own up to your gaffe instead of deflecting/rationalizing it away…
Gary,
Time for you to admit your mistake and retract this headline and story!
Burying the statement; “It does not seem likely there was foul play here. Surely if there was going to be, it would have happened earlier in the process – and the method would be different?” is total BS, and your response; “Deadly pattern = subsequent deaths” shows your lack of interest in getting this story correct. In fact, it shows your only interest seems to be getting clicks.
I expect this from the National Inquirer, not you…
Nothing burying it is literally my conclusion. I understand you and a few other commenters disagree, but it’s genuinely my take. I respect that other opinions may vary.
Wow, they found two disgruntled large corporation former employees seeking attention?
The argument that if Boeing had wanted to assassinate these two men, then they would have done it before they went public presupposes that Boeing knew that they were going public well before they eventually did, and that Boeing actually wants future whistleblowers to believe that these deaths were not their doing. If I’m Boeing, so long as I can get away with it (and they will), I want future whistleblowers to know that I did it. If you testify against us, your demise is certain. Do it at your own peril, and 99% of the population and the politicians in our pockets won’t bat an eye. Still want to talk?
I see a lot of comments that are professional have taken their time graciously to give their “two cents” in defence of Boeing.
Let’s put things into perspective shall we ?
Boeing does not only make trillions of dollars a year by supplying civilian aircraft’s but also a defence contractor which means not only does it have deep pockets but politicians and armed forces personnel who are working “closely” with them. The timing of these deaths are not only questionable but undeniable and a full investigation by a third party needs to be carried out.
People believing that the Clintons order assassinations but that questions about these Boeing whistleblower deaths are dangerous nonsense blow my mind.
Lies put out by cowards acting as shills for the Deep State.
Of course he was murdered.
“It does not seem likely there was foul play here.
Surely if there was going to be,
it would have happened earlier in the process –
and the method would be different?”
1.) After no investigation the fake journalist writing these lies concludes there’s nothing to see here
2.) How does this fake journalist avow a different method would have been used?
Does he moonlight as a Deep State Assassin on weekends?
Heavenly Father we thank You and we praise You.
Would you please expose the lying cowards behind this Deep State propaganda and justly hold them accountable for protecting evil monsters, to Your glory we pray in the Matchless name of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth?
Hallelujah
Thank You ✌️
Amen
I understand that many of you are semi-educated semi-successful frequent flyers, but dropping the Clintons i to this conversation as if it was nothing just shows you (some of you) to be total clowns.