Shining lights in dark corners
Rest assured that a considerable number of lights are being shone from different sources and angles into this preventable tragedy.
The central thread is why two qualified pilots agreed on 3 occasions to fly an approach three times that simply should not have been made. If my maths is correct, that is 6 individual mistakes for starters.
Consider for a moment an analogy of two drivers in one mini-bus running three red/stop lights at three different sets of cross roads.
At some stage in 2012 there will be an Inquest. Inquests can and do, in this Corporate Manslaughter Era, result in prosecutions. Our friends in Spain are also adept at criminal investigations into aviation accidents (Spanair et al.)
There is much buck-passing going on, as always in these situations. However, the music will be forced to stop in due course, with accountability and some significant rule changes within the EU.