Trial Verdict suited the 'system'
Indirectly the 'system' was on trial in this case and therefore by only charging the pilot (who was rightly cleared of the charge) it effectively closed the book and did not expose the real gaps that existed. Remember this was an 'authorised' display not an ad hoc event, and therefore as such should have been subject to compliance with the then rules governing the day.
The fact that the DA was deficient, and that the final back stop (the ability to stop the display if required) was not implemented, are in my mind the most significant factors which allowed this accident to happen. Both these situations were present BEFORE the actual failed manoeuvre took place, and in the case of the STOP call the obvious failure in this not happening when the display machine was well below its initial height at the display start was again BEFORE any G induced element was possible. On the day not only did the pilot fail to observe the requirements, and safe practice, but the system in place to act as the overall regulator failed in equal terms to do its job. Whether this is relevant to an inquest I am unsure, but it was relevant to the event on the day and therefore in my mind should be part of the decision process to give a proper picture of what went wrong.