stuckgear broaches what I expect is the nucleus of the discussion.
BTSC was overweight......substantially
She was without a required part in her left bogie....unconscionable
indeed. at least someone gets the nucleus of the point i was 'subtly' making to see if anyone picked it up..
[sarcasm mode/on] is the spacer an MEL item [sarcasm mode /off]
to which point is an aircraft released for service with a component missing?
is that acceptable in terms of the certificating authority or under the design approval to which the aircraft was certificated ?
how does it stand with an aircraft taking off outside of its take off weight in terms of the certification data.
either way was the aircraft outside of the design approval under which it was certificated ?
it should never have been released for service for public transport operation and should not have been rolling for take off in public transport operation (or even for experimental purposes).
arguing about the coulda/woulda/shoulda is like a discussion of why a drunk driver ran off the road. he should not have been behind the wheel.
the aircraft should not have been on the runway for a commercial operation. As both B fraser points out along with tonytales (welcome to first post land) the operational situation was less than lax and we find ourselves, yet again, looking at wreckage of an aircraft where regulations and SOP's were treated contemptibly, such regulations and SOP's that have been designed to prevent the situation occurring and in many cases implemented to prevent the repeat of a past accident.