Originally Posted by PittsExtra
Nothing to disagree with in that but by the same rational it would suggest that no other conclusive technical issues have been found to date.
It may suggest that to you, Pittsexta, but it certainly does not mean that is the case.
I have no intention of getting into further conversation on this, but I will explain briefly. The special bulletins are purely vehicles for issuing recommendations arising during an investigation on issues that are relevant to current aviation activity. The investigation needs to complete enough in the area concerned to be able to draw conclusions.
It certainly does not follow that no other "conclusive technical issues" have been found to date. For example, stating that an accident occurred because the engine failed is not particularly useful if the cause(s) of the engine failure, subsequent drills and means of mitigating the same or similar failures in the future are still being identified. Determining the cause on an engine failure may require detailed forensic examination of wreckage - a particularly time-consuming and difficult activity especially after significant fire; where access to the wreckage is limited, hazardous or affected by environmental factors; where an explosion or disintegration has occurred at altitude and numerous other circumstances. The investigation does not stop just because a single cause appears to have been found. Furthermore, all contributory factors need to be subject to the same scrutiny for the same reasons.
The lack of an announcement in one area of an investigation certainly does not mean that an important line of investigation has not been identified.