Interesting mention of helmets.
There is a strong argument that a visor in front of the pilots eyes can greatly improve the passengers chance of survival in some, not uncommon (enough) circumstances.
Thankfully not an issue in the crash under discussion, but had the pilots eyes been full of plexiglass/smashed Raybans……..
(As mentioned: the tap on the right shoulder may have saved him from that - head turning right at the moment of impact - which must have been like a bomb going off in the instrument panel!!)
I don’t think a helmet, with visor down, should be mandatory, but it should be encouraged.
(Often actively discouraged as it has the appearance of signalling that the operation, a scenic flight in this case, must be “dangerous”.)