Boeing's Troubled History Continues with New Whistleblower Revelations

Rory Kennedy's new documentary 'Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing' is making waves after its release on Netflix. The film revisits the corporate scandal that led to two crashes of the 737 MAX, killing a total of 346 people. Kennedy initially thought she'd covered the story with her 2022 film 'Downfall: The Case Against Boeing,' but she found that Boeing's promises of reform were short-lived.

The documentary centers around John Barnett, a former Boeing quality manager who became one of its most prominent whistleblowers. Barnett had documented serious safety and quality issues, including malfunctioning emergency oxygen systems that Boeing later corroborated. He was also a key subject in Kennedy's original 'Downfall' film and a personal friend of the director.

Barnett's death is a defining thread throughout 'Freefall.' The coroner ruled his death as a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but Kennedy argues that Boeing bears responsibility for the pressure that led to it. Barnett's lawyers make the case in the film that Boeing may not have directly caused his death, but its actions contributed to it.