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Old 12th Mar 2006, 20:52
  #37 (permalink)  
topendtorque
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
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sasless and co

"The Pin the Tail on the Donkey game that gets played in these situations means the Pilots who are not here to defend themselves are going to be the Donkey unfortunately."

This reminded me of one who has been here before and has written about it.

Author Campbell, Steuart
Title: Chinook Crash - the Crash of RAF Chinook Helicopter ZD576 on the Mull of Kintyre
Publisher: Pen & Sword / Leo Cooper

The carrier wave in this book is about a very professional outfit its great camaraderie, extra good training and, the odd dash of luck.
The real story is how the “system” blamed the drivers when there was nothing obvious happened in an accident and how the author is desperately and with great courage trying to clear his former colleagues. A good read and the author needs a big pat on the back.

The ‘system’ he talks about is the military which provided ‘butt cover’ for non decision or inability, which provides the ‘ineffectual system’.

Our ‘system’ is supposed to be different. It is investigation by ATSB or NTSB which is not supposed to be influenced by politicians, manufacturers or big companies looking for ‘butt cover’. They are supposed to be statutory and autonomous. Are they? If so why is this thread plainly unhappy with the finding?

If the finding is libel, then maybe there should be a class action against these sorts of findings when after all nothing has been proven. Why cannot investigation conclude that there was no recoverable evidence, as a finding instead of “pin the tail on the driver?”

It is not really a matter of, quote from another thread:- "I have plenty of operational experience, Civil and Military flying experience and enough hours to know that at some point all of us will experience some sort of accident or incident."

It may well be a matter of providing for a system where when you run into that inextricable problem that your wife, family, friends and colleagues will not be left with a tainted “pilot error” slur against your name.
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