I just re-read Michael Crichton's book "Airframe" -- which is about an investigation into an airline disaster.
This is an interesting book to read today! I recommend it to everyone following the 587 investigation. Lots of the stuff seems _very_ relevent.
First off, right after the disaster, the pilot and carrier report the cause of the disaster as "turbulance" and all the engineers laugh and curse in disugst because -- supposedly -- EVERYONE in the industry knows that "turbulance is a kind of catchall, a handy excuse to cover up pilot error or shoddy maintenance or just about anything else...
The book also has great commentary on the media's role in a crash investigation. Most importantly, however, the book depicts the whole process of an investigation as a kind of tool where the investigators are trying to arrive at an understanding of what's going on, but EVERYONE else is USING the investigation to further one agenda or another -- the manufacturer, competing manufacturers, the engine maker, the carrier, political issues...
Interesting stuff.
Mark W.
(I am smiling thinking about what they do to that media whore reporter that insists on coming along for the test ride...)