A subcontractor mechanic who worked on Boeing Co.’s 787 Dreamliner alleged he was retaliated against after raising concerns about work he observed on the plane, according to a statement from attorneys representing him as a whistleblower.
Richard Cuevas claimed he observed “substandard manufacturing and maintenance practices” on the 787’s forward pressure bulkhead—a dome shaped piece located in the jet’s nose that’s critical to maintaining cabin pressure, according to a statement by attorneys Debra Katz and Lisa Banks.
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In 2023, Cuevas was contracted by an aviation staffing company to do repair work for Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc. at a Boeing hangar in Everett, Washington, and later at a Spirit supplier. He alleged that he witnessed holes being improperly drilled on the 787 bulkhead in a way that deviated from Boeing’s manufacturing specifications. The changes were made without Boeing’s permission, the lawyers said.
Boeing said in a statement that the claims were reported previously and thoroughly investigated. Analysis showed the issues raised posed no safety concerns and were addressed, the company said, adding that it isn’t involved in the personnel decisions of subcontractors.
The “unauthorized change” caused fasteners to not fit properly into those holes, “seriously undermining the integrity of the aircraft,” his attorneys said in a whistleblower complaint filed with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration that was made public on Wednesday. His allegations were also laid out in a separate complaint filed with the Federal Aviation Administration.
Cuevas claimed Spirit fired him in March 2024 after he reported the issues internally, first with Spirit and then with Boeing. He estimated the alleged problems he observed may impact as many as a dozen planes, according to his attorneys’ statement.
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