This thread is strange. Everything here is pure speculation so either you allow speculation or don't. You possibly can't allow speculation as long as it doesn't allude that the pilots or the operator was to blame!
It is about the same likelyhood that the pilots would defend themselves on a public forum like this no matter if they are dead or not. I assume that everyone here is anxious to find a possible cause of the accident. I am quite sure that the pilots and their loved ones want the truth to get out. As an example - it's possible, but not very likely and can't be ruled out at this stage that the maintenance department used the same BIC pen as some of the executives did last year. I say again, I don't think that's the case but why shouldn't we be allowed to discuss such things openly? Let's just be open-minded to all possible causes, likely or not. If the accident is due to irregularities of the operator, I am sure that the pilots involved would have wanted this to get out..
I think that it's time for everyone opting to read this thread to accept the fact that everything written here, before the accident report arrives, is pure speculation.