I can't help but think that this pilot is a very very lucky man, in more ways than one.
Is it not the sole responsibility of the commander of a powered aircraft to ensure that there is sufficent fuel for the flight?
Is he not required to have sufficient fuel to divert to an alternative field, and to hold there for 45 minutes?
Even if he had not made the calculation error, and had included the extra 23 ltrs surely he would not have met this requirement. I don't know the area, or much about the aircraft, but I'm sure a twin burns more than 31ltrs per hour, therefore he would not have been able to meet the 45 min hold alone...never mind the diversion. Ok, maybe he thought there was an extra 5 gallons in there, but I would still think that a twin would burn more that this in 45 min, and a diversion.
Sure I don't like to see a pilot prosecuted, and I agree that prosecution doesn't do much to improve safety. But neither does something like this do much for the GA cause.
If so many of us see him as getting away with it, then what do the public at large see? I dare say that they see a grossly unprofessional bunch of rich people with little airplanes, who aren't accountable to anyone, and who can get away with anything. Can this be anything but bad for GA, irrespective of any facts in this case?
dp