Some years ago now an MD11 suffered an overspeed event on descent into Nagoya. Tragically, a cabin attendant suffered fatal injuries during the pitch change. The captain was indicted and I understand that Nagoya Prefecture police went for a custodial sentence. His association and IFALPA went to bat for him and he was eventually acquitted.
And that was one of their own; he was Japanese. Any non-union pilot who thinks an incident 'couldn't happen to them', or that or she could fight a company's, passenger's or state's army of lawyers on their own, especially in a foreign country, after an incident is 'certifiable'.
Last edited by Captain Dart; 19th Sep 2014 at 02:33.