they accepted an unsafe air traffic control instruction
Some have questioned this choice of words? From what I recall of the accident (not first-hand, but read on this forum and in other more "official" sources)... On request from the formation leader for descent, the Controller allocated a level that did not provide terrain clearance... the fact that the pilots, under RIS, had responsible for terrain clearance and that the allocated level was above the mountain top so could not have directly caused the death of the pilots... even the not guilty decision (which incidently I do support) does not diminish from the fact IMHO it was still an unsafe instruction?