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The Staff of SOH
That doesn't matter. These things are very hard to explain to someone who isn't a pilot. I don't mean any offense by assuming you're not, I apologize if you are. Anyway, a PIC's responsibilities do not have any accords for accidentally encountering weather. There are way too many resources available to pilots of all kinds before and during a flight. With these aviators, the onboard radar really ices the cake.
If they did not have enough fuel to divert, they were flying illegaly. That would be another display of poor airmanship. You are right though, let us not assume things like that until we hear more. We may never hear more though, given the public eyes on the T-birds.
ATC's primary and first responsibility before all others is separating IFR traffic. Everything else falls in behind, such as separating VFR traffic and guiding pilots around weather. No matter what the case, it again falls onto the PIC's shoulders to not accept any ATC instruction which, if followed out, would jeopardize the safety of the flight. Even if ATC vectored them directly into a super cell, it is still their fault. Those without radar don't fly into areas where you cannot see t-storms (IMC/night)and the prevailing atmospheric conditions are conducive to their formation. Those with radar REALLY don't have an excuse.
It really is hard to explain a pilot's responsibilities to a non-pilot. If they flew their aircraft into conditions which damaged them, they are at fault. This is a case where they are guilty (because of the radome damage) and must prove innocence. Right now, I can't think of any combination of factors which would relinquish them of their responsibility to not fly their aircraft into damaging weather.
