Boeing whistleblower reveals serious defects in aircraft bodies, sparking investigation

Santiago Paredes worked as a quality inspector at Boeing’s supplier Spirit AeroSystems in Kansas from 2010 to 2022. He now testifies to the British public broadcaster that the nickname “showstopper” within his company because he was regularly delaying production by voicing his concerns. According to the man, he “often” found up to 200 defects in the various parts being prepared for delivery to Boeing. “I found many missing connectors, many bent parts and sometimes even missing parts.”

At Spirit AeroSystems, still Boeing’s largest supplier, they oppose Paredes’ criticism and say that his claims are “absolutely false”. Boeing has so far declined to comment.

Spirit and Boeing are both the subject of an investigation after an unused door on a brand-new 737 Max leaked shortly after takeoff in January this year, leaving a large hole in the side of the plane. According to investigators, the door was originally installed by Spirit but then removed by Boeing technicians to repair defective rivets.

Not any event

Several incidents involving Boeing aircraft were also reported in the following months. For example, on Wednesday there was a report that a Boeing freighter had belly landed in Istanbul, Turkey because the front wheels were not installed due to a technical defect. In 2018 and 2019, two 737 Max aircraft were involved in fatal crashes that killed a total of 346 people.

On Thursday, eleven passengers were injured after a Boeing 737 crashed into the Senegalese capital of Dakar it slipped from the couch and then caught fire.

(read more below the video)

Not any traitor

Paredes is certainly not the first whistleblower to reveal abuses at Boeing (and Spirit AeroSystems). Last week, 45-year-old Joshua Dean died of a serious bacterial infection. He was also a former quality inspector at Spirit who had filed a complaint against the company for “gross and serious misconduct with 737″ production line quality management.

In March this year, John ‘Mitch’ Barnett, 62, was also killed with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. After nearly three decades working at the aircraft manufacturer, Barnett told The New York Times in 2019 that he had found “clusters of metal shavings” hanging above flight control wiring that could have cause “accidental damage” if the aircraft was crushed.