Predictably the pilot, who conveniently is not able to defend himself, is being given the blame.
Factually that may well be the case, or at least part of it. As many have commented, with these types of aircraft when an engine failure occurs, all too often a crash,controlled or otherwise is the end result.
Part of the blame must lie with a system which allows these types of operations, without fully informing their passengers of their limitations.
Many charterers, without specialist knowledge would be totally ignorant to the risks that they place themselves in by flying on piston twins.
This was not the case with the Airtours management (of the time), who had been made well aware of the dangers and limitations by numerous pilots within their organisation who had experience on these types of aircraft. Indeed a number of them had been threatened with disciplinary procedures for voicing their concerns.
Sadly it was a foregone conclusion that sooner or later an accident would happen, and only after the tragic waste of life was the company policy changed.
Now under a new management team there is a robust quality control system in place, something that other organisations should be encouraged to follow before putting the lives of their employees at risk.
May God bless those who perished.
