Hmmm... Interesting thread.
Not sure if blaming Agusta is a good idea, or a solution. I remember on my Bell 212/412 Engineer course, the Bell instructor reminding us that the word "TOP" that was cast into the 412 collective lever, actually had to be installed facing down!!. It took Bell a number of years to change this little error, which could have had disastrous consequences. Every helicopter I have worked on (Bell 47/205/212/412, AS350/355, BK117, AB139) has mistakes in the Maintenance Manuals. Eurocopter and Kawasaki would send out a revision CDROM every few months. Bell would send out a fax to be inserted facing the affected pages. For the record, Agusta have colour coded critical flight control parts on the AB139 (Scissor levers and the like), so that the risk of fitting them incorrectly is minimised. I asked a guy who used to work in the factory at Bell why they always sent out 412's with screws in the firewalls, when the first job we would do was to take out all those screws, biff them, and replace them with bolts. We did this so that in a few years, when you go to change an engine, you can actually get the firewall fasteners out. The head on a screw will round out, but a bolt won't. Anyway, this guy explained that they fitted screws because that is what the drawing showed, and they wouldn't change the drawing because the cost involved in changing the drawing was prohibitive. You must remember, that changing a drawing may involve recertification of the machine. Easier and cheaper to revise the Maint Manual, or send out a Tech Bulletin.
I agree with the comments about training. It seems every company makes a big issue about proficiency, training and duty time for pilots, but all too often engineering is overlooked, until and accident happens.
Do you guys know that if you are flying in the Middle East, you are flying machines maintained by good engineers, but those guys work 56 days in a row, with NO days off, and shifts that change EVERYDAY. That would never be allowed for flight crew, so why for maintenance? A bit offtopic I know, but perhaps fatigue played a part in this incident.
noooby