ozywannabe,
We've been over this before, but just because the rules state that the pilot is responsible for navigation under VMC rules, it does not automatically follow that the pilot should be blamed for an accident if one or more outside factors for which they are not prepared are the root cause of said misidentification.
From Gordon Vette "Impact Erebus"
Like other pilots, Captain Collins had implicit faith in the DC10's navigation system. implicit within the bounds of good airmanmship, which means counter-checking where possible, and never accepting it as infallible.
The AINS would guide the machine accurately- within a mile each side of track for every hour flown- until the aircraft descended to a lower altitude, then the crew would fine tune its position using ground aids. The AINS was relied on absolutely for cruising at altitude-it is the passage maker
Here we have a descent below MSA before the AINS was fine tuned with the available ground aids, and accepting it as infallible in a descent to 1,500ft, the decision for this descent to this altitude would appear to be Captain Collins alone. No one is disputing it was done with the best intentions, giving the pax their monies worth, but it was the crew's mistake, and I do not believe they can be held blameless.
If one does not comply with the rules then one must be responsible for the consequences, in this case many people took the consequences.
just because the rules state that the pilot is responsible for navigation under VMC rules
That would appear to be the governing factor in all your statements, and as you appear to be a firm believer of Mahon it is easy to understand why, any fact that did not suit his theories he completely disregarded.
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