Will;
Each of them were flying a highly complex a/c full of people.
Neither were making a decent living, and one was demonstrably ill, both were fatigued. There is a problem.
I won't repeat here what I have posted elsewhere on the larger issues highlighted by these two salient observations. They are searchable for those interested.
Some time ago, my airline negotiated a 10 percent reduction in pay when using sick days and reduced benefits for long-term off-work time. The results were not unexpected: pilots began coming to work sick so as not to lose pay.
The claim was, sick days are being "abused" by crews calling in sick for the "slightest reasons". There was no study done on such reasons so the effects of increased productivity demands leading to higher fatigue levels for one thing, and the "enthusiasm factor" when family/financial/health matters led to book-offs for another, are not known but merely assumed as unreasonable in all cases, (otherwise why dock pay?). There are always a few who abuse the system but the standard approach was taken - punish everyone.
Aviation and flying has far greater exposure to risk including economic risk, if participants choose to compromise the high standards required to maintain a safe
and profitable enterprise. Docking pilots 10 percent off their pay for calling in sick simply invites pilots to show up for work for their already-low pay exposing their colleagues, their passengers and their company to slightly heightened risk. While "sniffles" don't make an accident, unclear thinking due to flu or cold may very well lay among the many causal pathways in an fatal accident.
The same negotiations also removed pay for training work days so all recurrent simulators are done for free as are other recurrent training work.
How very sad and deeply tragic for all, that the Colgan crew are becoming poster-children for the airline industry's current practises and attitudes towards their most valuable risk-management assets - a highly-trained, experienced, well-remunerated and respected flight crew.
Airline employees have given billions back in wage and benefit concessions over the last ten years, yet it's "What have you done for us lately?" all over again. The spiral cannot continue without result. Yes indeed Will, there is a problem. The accident rate, plummeting since the 50's and now flat, has begun to turn the corner and head up. Airline passengers cannot expect to demand nickel-and-dime fares without result and airline managements cannot continue to nickel-and-dime their best resources forever.