bookworm
If the AAIB couldn't manage to determine the amount of fuel on board before the flight in a 5 month investigation, it would seem to be a reasonable defence that the pilot might have difficulty too.
The PIC needs to satisfy himself before the flight there is enough fuel. This responsibility cannot be delegated.... or can it?
The real Q is whether it is enough for the PIC to rely on records made by others. If YES then it is no suprise at all he was acquitted. If NO....
It should be apparent to e.g. anyone running a manufacturing business in which certain procedures need to be followed to avoid delivering defective stuff to customers that the written log method, so widely used by flying schools, is wide open to gross errors. Why is it relied on?
I personally saw two cases where I would have gone down if I had relied on the logs.