Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing: How it all started with scrap parts reused in planes

Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing is an upcoming Netflix documentary film that is a sequel to Downfall: The Case Against Boeing (2022). While the 2022 documentary film looked at the history of Boeing to understand what led to the two 737 MAX crashes, the upcoming documentary film will follow the death of whistleblower John Barnett and the testimonies of other whistleblowers.

The Boeing crashes were responsible for the death of 347 people, but the crashes weren't just accidents. They were a result of years of negligence, prioritization of profits over safety, and the reuse of scrap parts for years.

Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing will uncover years of manufactural issues

Issues in Boeing's manufacturing process have caused quite a few accidents, claimed innumerable lives, and injured many others. Irrespective of how many times it has been proved that the company was at fault, Boeing almost never faced any serious consequences. The worst part is, the company and its employees knew the lapses in the manufacturing process and still let the planes fly.

The trailer for Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing reveals how many employees became whistleblowers once they realized that the company wanted them to overlook safety hazards. One whistleblower says in the trailer that he had reported what was going on to his quality manager, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). But none of that helped much.

One whistleblower even says that he faced retaliation when he spoke out against the company. Another mentioned that his tire was slashed in retaliation. Another whistleblower mentioned how when he was working on the Boeing 787, he realized that

"scrap parts were put back on the airplane for years and years. They were basically rotted. We'll never know how many of these parts made it to planes."

The Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing also shows footage of Boeing employees saying they wouldn't fly the planes, hinting how unsafe for flying they were. If claims such as this are finally addressed properly, investigated, and proven to be true, it would mean that Boeing has knowingly put people's lives in danger.

The whistleblowers were and are worried about what might happen if they continue to speak out against Boeing, but they will continue to do so. The company has allegedly harassed and threatened termination against whistleblowers. The families of the whistleblowers are understandably worried about what consequences they might face in the future.

Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing is also going to explore the death of John Barnett, who worked at the company as a quality manager and was one of the first whistleblowers. While Barnett passed away in 2024, the other whistleblowers continue to keep his work alive by maintaining their stance.

John Barnett (Image via YouTube/@Netflix)

Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing is directed and produced by Rory Kennedy. Other producers of the documentary film are Rory Kennedy, Mark Bailey, Sara Bernstein, Alexandra Korba, Viva Van Loock, and Justin Wilkes. Imagine Documentaries and Moxie Films are the production companies behind the film.

Freefall: A Reckoning for Boeing will be released on Netflix on August 19, 2026.