Whether inadvertent or on purpose flight into IMC is somewhat academic, as both suggest pilot culpability. With 8000+ hours experience in the same area dealing with heavy smog, especially at sunrise and sunset it beggars belief that he could not avoid going IMC. And surely deliberate entry to IFR from a low level belly crawl at the bottom of a valley, against the operator certificate limitations, seems unlikely, even given our unknown of his relevant experience or competence.
We’re at a loss for an explanation, witness the thread’s decline into rotor rpm and engine fire certification. How about misplaced (it’s always misplaced) hero worship. Bryant was a has-been in the sports entertainment world, but seemed to still wax large in the pilot’s world in “servitude”. Wealthy people dying in helicopter crashes give our industry a bad rep, hence the HAC posturing. I always appreciated being distanced from my passengers by a business manager that made it very clear I was selected because they thought I would say no if the conditions warranted, and not yes out of awe of the client. We turned around a few times.