the OVERALL accident rate (including Human Factors, Tech, ATC, Weather etc) has dropped by about 50%
Yes, it has. This is because of technology. Modern, less risky aircraft, replacing older, riskier, ones, plus the introduction of some specific technology (GPWS being a fine example). There are some fine graphcal analyses of this doing the rounds in the worlds of academia, but as you said:
I can't be bothered to find you the links
You also said, quite rightly,
CRM has done nothing