The CVR would provide very strong evidence of what sounds were actually in the intercom system, with a corresponding strong inference that those sounds were actually heard by the crew. But only the human listening can give first hand evidence of what s/he heard and what s/he interpreted what s/he heard to mean.
True story from someone close to me (I spell the words phonetically to make the point):
Heard in the cockpit: ABC tern rite too wun zero.
ABC: ABC tern right too wun zero.
[ABC’s pilot ‘heard’ an instruction to “turn right, two one zero”. ABC takes up a heading of 210 degrees magnetic. In fact, a second zero was clipped from the instruction to ABC. The words out of ATC’s mouth were: Turn right to one zero zero.]
Heard in cockpit: ABC is your heading wun zero zero?
ABC: Negative, heading too wun zero.
Is that outcome really just the fault of the pilot of ABC?
Rugby League fans may be aware of an hilariously funny song, by Denis Carnahan, about the selection process for the Queensland State of Origin team. The song’s called “That’s in Queensland”, and the first verse goes like this (copyright Denis Carnahan):
Could somebody please help me?
I’m a little bit confused.
When selectors choose for Queensland
Could you tell what map they use?
Where you’re born and where you come from, surely that’s your origin
So could somebody please tell me, what States these towns are in …
Where is Sydney? That’s in Queensland!
Suva Fiji? That’s in Queensland!
Where is Nowraville? That’s in Queensland!
Queensland’s everywhere!
And so it goes. It’s worth a view on youtube.
It struck me that a similar concept applies to the Pel Air ditching matter. I call this song: “
Symptomatic Of Other Ills In Society”. It’s in ‘C minor’.
Could somebody please help me?
I’m a little bit surprised
When I’m in a commercial aircraft
Who’s keeping me alive?
The system’s there to protect me: surely that’s my safety net
So could somebody please tell me, who’s helping my Pie-let …
Phone unanswered? Blame the pilot!
Mistake in METAR? Blame the pilot!
Outsourced to NZ? Blame the pilot!
Ops manual deficient? Blame the pilot!
That it’s aerial work? Blame the pilot!
Not RSVM certified? Blame the pilot!
Rules unclear? Blame the pilot!
Hopeless lifevests? Blame the pilot!
Liferaft lost? Blame the pilot!
Audit outcomes? Blame the pilot!
Pel-Air breaches? Blame the pilot!
Lessons learned? Blame the pilot!
Systemic problems? No way! The pilot’s everything!