Just found this web site but been interested in the chinook crash for a while. Hope you don't mind a non helicopter type butting in. Having read the full board of inquiry (BOI) I think that in many ways talk of engine failures, FADEC problems, spurious warning captions etc. etc. is missing the point somewhat. All of the previous messages are just speculation. True, most are informed speculation from what appears to be experienced operators but they are still just opinions. Which is what the BOI was. Speculation and opinion from experienced chinook operators. In his closing comments the president of the BOI said, "With no ADR or CVR, survivors or eyewitnesses, the Board based its findings on logical argument derived from the limited evidence available. There were MANY POTENTIAL CAUSES OF THE ACCIDENT and despite detailed and in depth analysis, the Board was UNABLE TO DETERMINE A DEFINITE CAUSE."
And this is the whole point, all of the conclusions were best guesses. No one can argue that good pilots don't fly into the lumpy stuff. We all know they do. But in this case there is no conclusive proof of anything apart from they are all dead. Rick and Jon may have made a mistake but we can never be 100% sure so why do we condemn them?
Just a thought from someone who has only flown in helicopters as baggage.