Great post skybolt. I think we can all agree that experience is needed. However where do you draw the line? Both had experience (121 and CFI). Would an ATP suffice? The captain had one and it still happened. The FO was a flight instructor with more than enough time to obtain an ATP and it still happened. Anybody can be trained to PTS standards to pass a checkride. Pilot factories like ALLATPs are proof positive of this. Cooperate to graduate.

What bothers me most about this accident is the overlooked fact that the FO raised the flaps. You're slow, have a bunch of ice on the aircraft and make a configuration change. I think this cardinal sin is being forgotten by everybody, including ourselves. I think this is the fundamental part that skybolt is talking about.

Experience plays a huge part but no amount of experience can trump a poor decision. We've seen plenty of experienced crews make stupid choices that ended with a smoking hole in the ground.