> The NTSB does not assign fault or blame for an accident or incident; rather, as specified by NTSB regulation, “accident/incident investigations are fact-finding proceedings with no formal issues and no adverse parties ... and are not conducted for the purpose of determining the rights or liabilities of any person.”
49 C.F.R. § 831.4.
(This is on first (non-title) page of any NTSB accident report. [1])
Of course, the NTSB determines "Probably Cause", and makes safety recommendations. But the point is not to blame the pilot. Notice also that enforcement action is taken by a different agency, the FAA, not the NTSB.
Lastly, the whole ASR reporting system is set up to maximise the information gathered and minimise future accidents, while giving some dispensation to pilots that have made mistakes.
Sorry for banging on about this, but the accident report I linked to above is a great example, as it happens. It's about the cargo 747 that stalled shortly after take-off in Bagram, Afghanistan, caught on a spectacular and sobering video.
Cause: cargo was not secured enough and slid back during take-off, shifting centre of gravity, stall, crash. Blame: loadmaster. Done. Or are we?
No: Loadmasters are not FAA-certificated (a gap in the system). The operator procedures were inadequate. FAA oversight over these cargo operations was deficient, one reason being that the FAA inspectors were insufficiently trained. So, suddenly "blame" rests not only with the loadmaster (who perished in the crash, btw), but with the system, the operator, FAA procedures, FAA training, etc.
> The NTSB does not assign fault or blame for an accident or incident; rather, as specified by NTSB regulation, “accident/incident investigations are fact-finding proceedings with no formal issues and no adverse parties ... and are not conducted for the purpose of determining the rights or liabilities of any person.” 49 C.F.R. § 831.4.
(This is on first (non-title) page of any NTSB accident report. [1])
Of course, the NTSB determines "Probably Cause", and makes safety recommendations. But the point is not to blame the pilot. Notice also that enforcement action is taken by a different agency, the FAA, not the NTSB.
Lastly, the whole ASR reporting system is set up to maximise the information gathered and minimise future accidents, while giving some dispensation to pilots that have made mistakes.
[1] see e.g. e.g. https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/...
Edit: add > to indicate quote.