Tuc
If that is to be the basis of aviation safety, then the MAA can pack its bags now. Boscombe can be shut. Delete all system integration, testing and trials from all contracts. Simplify the airworthiness regulations to "It's all optional chaps, bin the regs, the aircrew are guilty".
Of course it is not - and I am sure you do not mean what you state in such a simplistic way.
Before every trip one should evaluate all the potential pitfalls and plan to avoid them. If you know the aircraft has a problem either refuse to fly it or work within its limits. Used to be known as common sense and good flight planning. Put those in order of importance if you will.
Have things changed so much that every trip has to be authorised by Boscombe - God bless em - they certainly, from personal experience, do not have a total grasp of airworthiness and all its ramifications further down the line.
Flying safely has so much to do with the day to day ins and outs of all the factors mentioned in all the posts above - but at the end of the day it is down to the pilots.