"Parts deemed unfit were returned to planes": New allegations shaking Boeing

Serious new allegations regarding Boeing's aircraft manufacturing processes are revealed in the new Netflix documentary, "Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing," which was released on the streaming service this week. Former employees and quality managers claim in the film that for years, parts deemed unfit for use were allegedly returned to 787 Dreamliner aircraft on the company's production line in Charleston, South Carolina, and in some cases, their origin could no longer be traced.

The film, directed by Rory Kennedy, is a follow-up to 2022's "Downfall: The Case Against Boeing," which dealt with the two 737 MAX disasters. This time, Kennedy returns to Boeing following the death in March 2024 of John "Swampy" Barnett, a veteran quality manager at the company and one of its most prominent whistleblowers. Barnett worked at Boeing for 32 years and had claimed for years that there were serious manufacturing and safety defects, as well as harassment by managers after he raised concerns.

One of the most prominent testimonies in the film comes from Merle Myers, a former quality manager at Boeing. According to him, at the 787 plant in Charleston, a process occurred for years in which parts defined as rejected or scrap allegedly found their way back into the planes. The film presents the claim as part of a broader picture painted by former whistleblowers regarding pressures to increase production rates and cut costs.

The allegations do not end with parts. Barnett had previously warned about metal shavings left in sensitive areas inside planes that could, according to him, damage wiring and cause a short circuit. He also raised claims regarding faulty oxygen systems in the 787. The film includes additional testimonies from former employees, including some who express personal distrust in the quality of production.

Kennedy said that it was Barnett's death that pushed her to return to the subject. Barnett was found dead in his vehicle in Charleston in March 2024, while he was in the middle of giving testimony in a harassment lawsuit he had filed against Boeing. Authorities determined after an investigation that he died by suicide; the investigation included, among other things, security footage, ballistic tests, and fingerprints.

Barnett's mother filed a lawsuit against Boeing after his death, claiming that the harassment and pressure he suffered following his warnings contributed to his death. In September 2025, the parties reached a settlement: Boeing agreed to pay his mother at least $50,000. As part of the settlement, she waived the legal claim that Boeing contributed to his suicide.

The new film also brings the two 737 MAX disasters back to the center stage. Lion Air Flight 610 crashed in Indonesia in October 2018, and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed in Ethiopia in March 2019. In total, 346 people were killed in the two disasters. The investigations focused, among other things, on the MCAS flight control system, which could push the nose of the plane down following incorrect data from a sensor.

Kennedy presents the whistleblowers' claims in the film as part of a deeper cultural problem in the company — a shift from an emphasis on engineering and safety to an increasing emphasis on cost-cutting, production rates, and profits. This is the film's central claim, not an official finding by an aviation authority or a court.

Boeing rejects the picture that the company is not addressing its safety issues. In response to the film's release, the company stated that it has been operating since 2024 under a comprehensive program to improve safety and quality, which was implemented under CEO Kelly Ortberg. According to the company, its employees are required to "keep people safe, speak up, and do the right thing."