Don't blame pilots for aircraft crashes, bypassing the rules can save lives

The denouement of the recent Hollywood blockbuster Sully is a courtroom drama with a difference. On trial is the eponymous Captain Chesley Sullenberger (Sully), based on the real pilot who saved the lives of 155 passengers and crew by successfully landing his plane on the river Hudson in January 2009 after a bird hit stalled both engines.

Sully (played by Tom Hanks) faces an air crash investigation committee. But why was a man widely recognised as an all-American hero, whose quick thinking prevented a major airline disaster, facing punishment for his actions?

Every major aviation incident is followed by a full