Having spent the last hour reading this whole thread I feel inclined to align myself with prospector & co.
I believe that there were many factors leading to the crash but at the end of the day I can't go past the fact that the SOP's mandated no descent below FL160 unless VMC and no descent below 6000' ....period.
When I read John Kings book a few months back on the crash, one pilot who had conducted a previous flight testified that although he had unlimited visibility, and although he was an ex strike pilot with plenty of low level experience, and although he dearly wanted to, when McMurdo ATC invited him to do a low run down the strip he declined and remained at 6000'. If that chap was PiC of flight 901 would the accident have happened? I don't believe so.That is not a dig at J Collins...just what I believe to be most likely.
Jim C had his flight plan mucked up, he didn't know that, but he did know that it was a new environment for the whole crew and that he expected VHF contact earlier, and radar contact earlier, and TACAN reception, and he also knew the SOPs for letting down.
Lots of people made mistakes, Collins' mistake is easy to take a shot at. No one person is totally to blame. Many people carry a share of the blame.