The pilot is responsible for everything that happens to the airplane he is flying.
It may not be fair that a small mistake can carry a death sentence to the pilot but also to all who may be aboard, but that is reality.
He certainly is responsible for what happened.
He’s the one who ultimately decided if the plane will fly.
Agreed. End of story.
Yup. Those who don’t fly can’t understand how FAST things can get ugly when you’re flying VFR and lose visual contact with the ground. On that night, the safest altitude was probably the same altitude as a bar stool.
Should the pilot have refused to fly that plane?
This is not exactly true. I’m also a pilot (20 years, military, UH-60 Blackhawks). Why do we have accident investigation boards? Pilot error is common, no doubt. But material failure, maintenance failures, ATC mistakes, etc do happen. Some things even the best pilot can’t recover from.
“The pilot is responsible for everything that happens to the airplane he is flying.” - What about a lightning strike?
Not trying to start an argument here. In my career I’ve seen a few pilots get rail-roaded for things that weren’t their fault. Unfortunately, I’ve also seen a few hot dogs get away with stuff that definitely was their fault.
Over 80% of aircraft mishaps are attributed to pilot error. Very few are associated with mechanical difficulties as well as other factors (ATC, weather and other things).
So, yes, in about 80% of the time the pilot is responsible but NOT always. How can you can say the pilot is responsible if a mechanic used the wrong bolts and a wing falls off or a flock of small birds suddenly flies up into the engine?