Ahmedabad plane crash: 7 faults that John Barnett flagged in Boeing 787 Dreamliner before committing suicide
Edited By Abhinav Yadav
Published: Jun 12, 2025, 17:51 IST | Updated: Jun 12, 2025, 17:51 IST
John Barnett, a former Boeing engineer, raised serious safety concerns about the 787 Dreamliner, including faulty parts, oxygen mask failures, and poor assembly. Before he died in 2024, he claimed his warnings were ignored and faced retaliation.
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(Photograph: X | Wikipedia)
Who Was John Barnett?
John Barnett was a former Boeing quality engineer. He worked on the 787 Dreamliner and raised concerns about safety and production before his death in 2024, which police ruled as suicide.
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(Photograph: Flight Global)
Sub-Standard Parts Used
Barnett said workers sometimes used sub-standard or defective parts to meet deadlines. Some parts were even taken from the company scrapyard and fitted onto new aircraft.
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(Photograph: Reuters)
Mishandling Defective Components
He reported that faulty parts were not tracked properly. Some were lost or refitted, which could affect the aircraft’s safety and performance.
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(Photograph: Boeing)
Oxygen System Problems
Barnett warned that the oxygen system had issues. He claimed that one in four masks might not work in an emergency, putting passengers at risk.
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Rushed Assembly Process
He said Boeing’s push to speed up production led to rushed assembly. This, he believed, caused lower-quality work and increased safety risks.
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(Photograph: Wikimedia Commons)
Structural Integrity Concerns
Barnett raised doubts about the strength of the Dreamliner’s composite materials. He worried they might not last under stress during flights.
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(Photograph: Boeing)
Unheeded Warnings and Retaliation
He said Boeing managers ignored his safety warnings. Barnett also claimed he faced retaliation and harassment for speaking out, according to reports, which he detailed in a lawsuit.
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