My understanding is the crash site was pretty close to the last position report on the traffic frequency. I suspect an ELT wouldn't have made any real difference.
Where did you read that? The radio position report is made at the Upper or Lower lookout depending upon weather conditions. (90% of the time you exit the canyon at the upper). From there it is mostly flat gentle sloping ground all the way to the coast. If it crashed here, chances are the ELT would work. I heard Nualolo valley, the top of which is Kokee State Park, (the other possible location). I have not heard an accurate position yet, but ifen it was in fact in the valley, there is nowhere flat and the aircraft would have dropped to the valley floor, where there is slim chance of a signal getting out. At the widest the valley is maybe 1,500' wide.