I agree with
ChickenHouse regulation generally makes flying more expensive. More expensive means less hours, less practice and more danger. Regulation is not always the answer. Enforcement of existing regulations MIGHT help but in the end, most pilots exercise good judgment most of the time hence the GA accident rate in the UK at least is impressively low. It seems that a series of bad judgments led to that aircraft/ pilot / passenger being in the air when conditions weren't conducive to a successful outcome for whatever reason. It's very sad but had this been a car accident, everyone would have moved on whether or not the driver was a professional.
Yes, this should have been conducted by a professional pilot in an aircraft operating under an AOC. But poor judgment kicked in and that can never be legislated for.
I don't see much murky or opaque about GA regulation and I think suggesting as much is very lazy indeed.