Originally Posted by
cbn42
With regard to criminal liability, it would apply only in case of negligence. Think about driving: getting into an accident is not a crime, even if it was your fault because you weren't paying attention. But if you were violating a specific rule (driving while intoxicated, talking on the phone, etc.) then that is a criminal matter.
Where is the line drawn between "negligence" and "violating a specific rule?" I can see a huge grey area in the middle - if that indicator light comes on and you ignore it, is that negligence? What if you think you know better and you're wrong? Do (in the US) FAA rules
require that a pilot take action if warning light X comes on?
Originally Posted by
cbn42
Interesting article, but I don't think I agree with its conclusions. I also think some of the points raised in it are outdated as there is ever more technology telling us what the pilot was doing and exactly when s/he did it.