Ryan Knudson

In his deposition, Barnett said he thought about applying for other jobs. Remember, he retired 10 years earlier than he said he'd plan to. But he couldn't face it. Too many bad memories. Here's Barnett's lawyer, Rob, again.

That's pretty, I mean, that sounds pretty intense to have that feeling about, you know, any other job.

That's pretty, I mean, that sounds pretty intense to have that feeling about, you know, any other job.

That's pretty, I mean, that sounds pretty intense to have that feeling about, you know, any other job.

This might seem like an extreme reaction to a job, but to many psychologists who study whistleblowers, it can actually be quite common. Whistleblowers often can't understand why the people in charge don't acknowledge or fix the problems that to them seem so obvious. And for the whistleblower, this dissonance can lead to social isolation, depression, extreme anxiety, and even symptoms of PTSD.

This might seem like an extreme reaction to a job, but to many psychologists who study whistleblowers, it can actually be quite common. Whistleblowers often can't understand why the people in charge don't acknowledge or fix the problems that to them seem so obvious. And for the whistleblower, this dissonance can lead to social isolation, depression, extreme anxiety, and even symptoms of PTSD.

This might seem like an extreme reaction to a job, but to many psychologists who study whistleblowers, it can actually be quite common. Whistleblowers often can't understand why the people in charge don't acknowledge or fix the problems that to them seem so obvious. And for the whistleblower, this dissonance can lead to social isolation, depression, extreme anxiety, and even symptoms of PTSD.

Then, in 2018 and 2019, safety at Boeing became a big story.

Then, in 2018 and 2019, safety at Boeing became a big story.

Then, in 2018 and 2019, safety at Boeing became a big story.

It was a Boeing plane. And of everyone on board, almost 200 people, no one survived. To Barnett, it felt like his worst nightmares were coming true. And then, just a few months later...

It was a Boeing plane. And of everyone on board, almost 200 people, no one survived. To Barnett, it felt like his worst nightmares were coming true. And then, just a few months later...

It was a Boeing plane. And of everyone on board, almost 200 people, no one survived. To Barnett, it felt like his worst nightmares were coming true. And then, just a few months later...

there are these concerns that he didn't feel were being adequately addressed. To be clear, the two Boeing planes that crashed were different from the ones Barnett worked on and were not produced at the South Carolina plant. And investigators concluded that the crashes were primarily the result of faulty engineering rather than manufacturing problems.

there are these concerns that he didn't feel were being adequately addressed. To be clear, the two Boeing planes that crashed were different from the ones Barnett worked on and were not produced at the South Carolina plant. And investigators concluded that the crashes were primarily the result of faulty engineering rather than manufacturing problems.

there are these concerns that he didn't feel were being adequately addressed. To be clear, the two Boeing planes that crashed were different from the ones Barnett worked on and were not produced at the South Carolina plant. And investigators concluded that the crashes were primarily the result of faulty engineering rather than manufacturing problems.

Barnett was watching all of this unfold, and he started talking publicly about his concerns, doing interviews for newspapers, TV shows, and a documentary. Here he is again in an interview with the New York Times.

Barnett was watching all of this unfold, and he started talking publicly about his concerns, doing interviews for newspapers, TV shows, and a documentary. Here he is again in an interview with the New York Times.

Barnett was watching all of this unfold, and he started talking publicly about his concerns, doing interviews for newspapers, TV shows, and a documentary. Here he is again in an interview with the New York Times.

Meanwhile, Barnett felt like his whistleblower case against Boeing was going nowhere. Barnett filed his two complaints with two different agencies, the FAA and OSHA, but his experience with each agency was very different. The FAA complaint, which is about manufacturing violations, was partly substantiated. The agency said Boeing was already fixing some of the problems Barnett raised.