Barnett had been in Charleston giving interviews for his whistleblower case against Boeing at the time of his death. He had already given a formal deposition to answer questions from Boeing’s lawyers and undergone cross-examination by his own legal team. He was due to undergo further questioning on Saturday but did not appear at court. In a statement, Boeing said it was “saddened” to hear of Barnett’s death and that its “thoughts are with his family and friends.”
Barnett’s death comes as Boeing deals with increasing scrutiny over the safety of its aircraft and the quality control measures implemented when making them.