A former Boeing employee, discovered deceased in March, had accused the company of numerous US law violations in his testimony shortly before his passing.
John Barnett alleged that Boeing attempted to eliminate quality inspections at a facility manufacturing 787 planes, where he had served as a quality control manager.
Barnett was providing formal legal deposition against the aircraft manufacturer, and his demise, attributed to a self-inflicted gunshot wound, followed two days of testimony.
While Boeing expressed sorrow over Barnett’s death, they stated that the issues he raised had been reviewed and remedied.
The aerospace company’s safety protocols are under scrutiny, notably since a January incident involving a disused door detaching from a new 737 Max shortly after takeoff.
The transcript of Barnett’s deposition, spanning over 140 pages, has been released by his legal representatives.
Having worked at Boeing for over three decades until his retirement in 2017 due to health reasons, Barnett had filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging retaliation from managers post raising significant safety concerns—an accusation Boeing refutes.
The bulk of Barnett’s deposition delves into the period post-2010, subsequent to his relocation from Boeing’s Everett, Washington facility to a newly established factory in North Charleston, primarily focusing on the assembly of the 787 Dreamliner, a cutting-edge aircraft predominantly used for long-haul flights.