An example given during the discussion was if I had perhaps forgotten to deploy the gear and damaged an aircraft / facility as a result.
Would I be questioned if I had my checklist out or would I be questioned "did you - to your knowledge deploy the gear? yes or no?"
If the judge at such an inquest is expecting me to say "I had my checklist out, was reading from it, deployed the gear in accordance with it, then it failed" they might not be impressed if I said "No m'lord I was working from memory and must have neglected to do so"?
Just adding a spanner in the works but the answers so far are very interesting. Many thanks for taking the time to reply.
Stuart