AirWon,
The good news is the aircraft wreckage has been recovered. Too many times it is not.
The weather was unremarkable. Usually it is just the opposite.
The aircraft was equipped with data/CVR recorders. Usually they are not.
There was a survivor that might be able to describe what happened. Usually there are not any survivors.
That means the investigators have a much better chance of determining the actual cause of the mishap as compared to the other worst case scenarios.
The ability of the investigators to accurately determine a cause will advance the safety of the aircraft and hopefully go a long ways towards preventing another event from the same cause.
There is bad news of course....people have died and one is very badly injured.
If we find the CVR and data recorders playing a key role in the investigation and subsequent finding of the actual cause then the need for such equipment as standard fit on offshore aircraft will be strengthened and maybe....just maybe...the GOM will take another step forward by embracing new technology and getting closer to escapiing from the sad state it has been in for all of its existence.
Your comment is the typical narrow minded response we seem to get when we try to discuss accidents and their probable causes.
We should learn from every single one of these tragedies and do so as soon as possible with a view towards preventing yet another loss of life event.
Our hearts go out to the next of kin of those lost but learning from their loss is important.
No one has cast any dispersion upon the crew or PHI staff regarding this event and that is as it should be. We have to wait for the facts to be presented in the accident report before we begin that process.