These logical leaps are inappropriate in the case of a prosecution or legal proceeding. Airline pilots are, however, in a position of public trust. They hold thousands of lives in their hands.

One of the reasons that the public trusts air travel is that the NTSB systematically deconstruct every airplane accident that happens, to the point that all aspects of what could go wrong are thoroughly understood and mitigated in the future. This whole process depends on full transparency by all involved. Airplane accidents are rare today because of it.

If the union is perceived as standing in the way of that process—if it is seen to be standing in the way of safety—then the public can no longer rely on the process or the institutions involved, and will have to draw its own conclusions about the people involved.