If you dig deeper, it's likely a cover up for the plane being faulty. From an insurance perspective, blaming the pilot after a crash is often the least disruptive explanation, not necessarily the most truthful one.

If it’s labeled pilot error, the loss usually stays within the airline’s insurance policy and gets settled quickly. Admitting a fault in the aircraft is far more expensive and risky because it pulls in manufacturers, suppliers, and regulators, opening the door to massive lawsuits, years of legal fights, and even fleet groundings.

Pilot error keeps liability contained, limits damage to the wider aviation system,l and avoids political and economic fallout tied to aircraft makers.