Boeing whistleblower who raised concerns about 737 Max defects dies at 45

Joshua Dean, who had gone public with his concerns, was found dead in his truck in the parking lot of a plant.

The Charleston County Coroner’s Office told TIME that Dean died from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot.

Joshua Dean, a Boeing whistleblower who warned of manufacturing defects in the plane maker’s 737 Max, has died.

Dean, who lived in Wichita, Kansas, and was formerly a quality auditor for Spirit AeroSystems, a Boeing supplier, died Tuesday in Oklahoma.

Dean had gone public with his concerns about defects and quality issues at Spirit AeroSystems, which makes parts for the 737 Max.

The Charleston County Coroner’s Office told TIME that Dean died from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot.

Last modified on Thu 2 May 2024 1750 EDT

By Theo Leggett
Business correspondent
BBC News