The known facts are bad enough: SE piston over the sea at night in engine and airframe icing conditions during the winter with a passenger on board. This alone tells me all I need to know about the pilot. He was an accident waiting to happen. We will know in due course the licence status and legality of the flight. Speculation is a waste of time. It doesn't make the decision to go any more reasonable. What is legal is not always wise - and that is not an argument for tighter regs, it is an argument for exercising good judgement. Clearly lacking in this flight.
Last edited by oggers; 23rd Jan 2019 at 18:31.