Boeing Under Fire: Whistleblowers Allege Safety Concerns, Pressure to Deliver
A new documentary, Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing, sheds light on the safety culture within the aviation giant. Directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Rory Kennedy, the film explores the story of whistleblower John Barnett and other current and former employees who raised concerns about manufacturing and safety practices.
John Barnett, a longtime Boeing employee with over three decades of experience, worked as a quality manager at the company's 787 Dreamliner facility in Charleston, South Carolina. He became a whistleblower after raising concerns about debris near flight-control wiring, incomplete records, missing parts, and problems with emergency oxygen systems.
Barnett's allegations led him to file complaints with federal regulators and he was featured in Kennedy's earlier documentary, Downfall: The Case Against Boeing. However, Barnett died in March 2024 while giving a deposition for his lawsuit against Boeing, which was ruled as a suicide.