Originally Posted by
KRviator
...Yes, the crew screwed up (in both AMS and AF447...), in a massive way. I am not disputing that fact at all, nor trying to absolve them of that claim.
But...
Amsterdam was not, in itself, the fault of mode confusion, or automation dependency..
Please stop defending that a crew was not to blame, this forum and the authoritative versions of all but Turkish reports all deny your point of view.
It was crew error, no more, no less.
If it was not, then:
- blame all the other crew for being able to fly the plane with the same problem in the weeks before (as analytical data has shown on the failed system involved it had flown many sectors with this failure present);
- blame all the other crew for not reporting the defect through the tech log accurately enough so it could get fixed;
- blame the engineers for not testing and repairing a reported system for failures, I'll help you: BITE check to see FAULT history...
Flying with a hidden defect is one thing, covered by MEL/CDL etc...
Flying with an unreported defect is another, blame the prior crews for not reporting it to the airline engineers in the only way legally possible...
Flying with a reported defect which has not had a fix attempted due poor system knowledge of engineers hides a lack of training for those engineers...
Flying with a reported defect repaired by engineers as serviceable shows there is a different reason or repair has not solved problem...
Either way, basic airmanship AVIATE, NAVIGATE, COMMUNICATE applies.
AVIATE - monitor what the aircraft is doing, especially close to ground,
hands on the controls, this
includes thrust levers!
This simple and effective measure would have avoided this accident and loss of life...
It is the first thing you learn when flying on your first day in the plane, the crew did not do it.
The failed component was not noticed, was not disconnected, was not recognised: crew error!
If you see throttles retarding and you are expecting thrust on engines, surely you would not only stand thrust levers up, you'd keep your hand on to ensure they stay there!