As for checklists...I remember way back when most students learnt on C150's or Pipers the checklists were always done by ROTE memory. T..Trim, M..Mixture set F..Fuel, Flaps etc. Nothing wrong with this because the aircraft are simple and not a long list.
TRIM was always the first thing checked.
As you move up to twins, turbines etc then written checklists are the norm.
I read somewhere in the report either he or the company didn't use them?