There is one issue that I wish the report addressed a little more. (I could not find it there).
Blasik (the Air-Force General) comes to cockpit and starts participating in some pre-landing checks. This already creates confusion in everyone's mind. Who is in command here?! By the book, Protasiuk is still the PIC, but Blasik is the big boss (also a pilot), so he may be playing some supervisory role.
And so, they start the approach. I think Protasiuk (clearly opposed to landing at the beginning but going along) is expecting Blasik to order Go Around so that everyone is happy, but in Blasik's mind there suddenly is this feeling, "difficult situation – I should not interfere". And so, neither Protasiuk nor Blasik do anything because they expect the other to make the call. Had any of the two of them been less of a "nice guy", he would have asked – "what the **** are we doing?!"
Then the 2'd Pilot (by transcript a little more assertive/competent than the other two) tries to break the impasse and orders Go Around, but still nothing happens because, most likely, Protasiuk expects Blasik to confirm Go Around and Blasik vice-versa.
There is absolutely NOTHING WORSE than a critical situation where it isn't crystal clear who is in charge.
As to that whole mess with what the ATC could and could not have done, and the status of the flight (International Rules/Russian Military Rules) – they are just making complete fools of themselves by admitting that they never knew/clarified under what rules they were allowed to fly to Smolensk.
Last edited by SadPole; 13th Jan 2011 at 11:21.