Originally Posted by wageslave
There is a persistent hypocrisy on this forum that while it is OK to admit that while members of our elite brotherhood are theoretically capable of screwing up it is beyond the pale to suggest that one actually has done so even when all the signs are that is exactly what happened. That is neither honest nor very helpful in recognising what may have occurred.
Therein lies the problem with this and all the similar threads: people that read posts and see what they want to see without understanding what has been said.
I'm not about to re-read this whole thread nor any of the related ones right now, but I will tell you this. I do not recall anyone ever saying that this accident was not caused by the pilot, be it pilot error or other human factors. I suspect I have been one of the most vocal (in the written sense) on this subject so I shall explain.
What a number of pilots here have been saying is that it is wrong to jump to the conclusion that it was the pilot's fault (frequently based on just some photographs and a couple of videos) without knowing that there are no other possible causes. Especially as those opinions are being published on a public forum.
It is perfectly proper for the AAIB or any other qualified body to state that the pilot has "screwed up", to use your terms, when "all the signs are that is exactly what happened." What I and some others are saying is that we have not yet seen "all the signs" and we do not, therefore know what did or did not happen to cause the crash.
What is to be gained by jumping to uninformed conclusions, based on an incomplete picture, instead of waiting for the complete picture? It is neither professional nor just and it is libellous.
So, to be clear, contrary to your position, I haven't seen anyone here say it was not pilot error. I have seen plenty express their conclusion that it was. I and some others have said that until the results of the full examination are known, no one can say what the cause was. To use your words, no one has said that "it is beyond the pale to suggest that one actually has done so even when all the signs are that is exactly what happened". We have said that it is inappropriate to suggest that as a known cause, when the cause has not yet been determined.
But armchair experts will always want their say - for whatever reason.