Joshua Dean Obituary – Family members announced that Joshua Dean passed away this week due to a sudden infection. According to the Dean family, what initially began as breathing problems a few weeks ago escalated into a severe bacterial infection.
Dean passed away on Tuesday morning. KWCH reported that Dean had lodged a complaint with the FAA accusing managers on the 737 production line of misconduct and alleged that Spirit AeroSystems terminated him in retaliation.
In a statement, Dean’s lawyers, Brian Knowles and Rob Turkewitz, described his death as a loss to the aviation community and the flying public. Dean joined Spirit AeroSystems in 2019, was laid off during the pandemic, but returned in 2021 as a quality auditor, tasked with inspecting a part crucial for maintaining cabin pressure in the 737 Max.
In October 2022, Dean raised concerns about mis-drilled holes in the rear fuselage, reporting these issues to managers, but no action was taken. This occurred about a year before Boeing publicly acknowledged the problem at Spirit AeroSystems. In a deposition, Dean outlined the issues and alleged that the company failed to disclose them to investors.
Although not named as a plaintiff in the lawsuit, Spirit AeroSystems terminated Dean in April 2023 for allegedly falsifying paperwork related to his audit. Dean told CBS News that he believed his termination was in retaliation for highlighting quality concerns.
He had filed a safety complaint with the FAA regarding the mis-drilled holes and with the Labor Department for wrongful termination. Dean’s attorneys released a statement this week emphasizing his courage in standing up for what he believed was right and raising quality and safety concerns.
They also mentioned that aviation companies should support and reward individuals who raise such issues. Spirit AeroSystems also expressed condolences to Josh Dean’s family, stating that this sudden loss is deeply shocking.
