Flying is not dangerous so much as it is unforgiving of error.
US commercial aviation is generally discussed as a "system" of many interlocking and cross-checking procedures. It works really well - on average 3,000,000 people fly commercially on any given day, and this accident which cost 49 lives is the worst in 5 years. More people will die in auto wrecks during the time it takes me to type out this response than died in this crash - which is not to diminish the tragedy at all, but to put it in perspective.
One of the things I really enjoy about getting in a plane & zooming around is that I am in complete control of my destiny, and it is my education, experience and intelligence that determine how the flight will go. That's how it has to be - no controller on the ground knows the conditions in your little metal tube 2 miles up, so when you're in command you are the final authority.
As long as you don't screw up all is fine and dandy.
Accidents are looked at by aviation authorities (NTSB, FAA) from a point of view of "what went wrong with the system that let this happen?" For instance, if I fail a checkride with the FAA, rather than saying "You are a bad pilot", they say "Why did your instructor send you to us to be checked out when you're not ready?" and so on up the line.
After that's done lawyers come along and use words like "fault" and "blame" to make money.
The plane that crashed, tail # N431CA, a model
CL-600-2B19, is required to have 2 pilots to fly. This is not to be redundant - the aircraft is sufficiently complex that many phases of flight require more to be done than 1 person can do. Therefore, the system considers both of them to be responsible barring any unusual occurance, none of which seems to apply here (but the investigation is not complete).
They went onto the wrong runway for some reason. On the ground, smaller planes are steered with the rudder pedals (via your left & right feet), but on bigger planes there is a small "tiller" used to turn the nose wheel and is used for moving around until you get onto the runway. On really big planes like a 747 both pilots have a tiller, but on smaller ones like this one only the left seat has a tiller.
On any flight there's only one person in charge, and that person is called the PIC or "Pilot In Command". It's a legal definition - the PIC is the ultimate authority, but does not have to be the most senior person, and does not have to sit in a particular seat. In fact, the PIC does not even have to be on the plane (I'll let you think about this one). Typically, in a plane that makes multiple hops, the two pilots will alternate legs being PIC, because the only time you can log hours for is the time you are PIC.
In this case, on this leg, it appears that the pilot in the right seat, referred to as the "First Officer" or "F/O" because he is junior in seniority to the other pilot who is the "Capitain" was the "PIC" for this leg. However, he had no tiller to steer the plane on the ground, so the other pilot in the left seat would have steered them to the runway, and lined them up. The SYSTEM then requires BOTH of them to verify that they are on the correct runway. There are 3 instuments (at least) in front of them to do this:
-The Flight Director (or equivalent), a very sophisticated instrument;
-The Directional Gyro, a fairly simple instrument;
-A plain old Magnetic Compass, like Columbus used but smaller.
All 3 should show the same heading and should match the runway they are supposed to be on - i.e. Runway 22 means they should show between 215 and 225 degrees. Runway 22 is in fact 225 degrees. Runway 26 is 264 degrees. How they missed this will be the focus of the investigation.
Can turbulance force an aircraft to lose control? That's my worst fear... as soon as the pilot mentions we're going to experience (I hate that word cause it means I'm going to feel it no matter what I wish) some turbulance and the seatbelt light starts flashing I almost panic. Ok, I do panic. I don't go stark raving mad and hurl myself to the floor but inside I'm a mess. I keep my composure only for my kids, I have this smile plastered on face and it physically hurts it is so against my inner turmoil. Geez, you probably think I'm nuts but I haven't researched it because I've grown quite used to having DH reasure me it just can't happen. :chicken: 
Am also wearing socks with my sandals so I don't have to walk barefoot through the airport screening.
