To RW 1
The fact that it had all fitted to it and the kitchen sink is probably what killed him ! I was told when he did his course at MD he was very interested in the fact that an experimental 600 had been looped and rolled, but no one would tell him how (quite rightly so).
All the added weight of the news gathering kit and floats etc etc adds a lot to the basic weight (compared to the factory exp 600)so he was probably trying the impossible anyway !(However good/crazy he was!)
I think the really sad thing is that he took someone else with him, who had no control over the outcome ( I feel if you want to fly like that you should do it on your own and well away from anything, you now what can happen and if you are prepared to take the consequences fine just dont involve anyone else,but then if you get away with it what about the next person in the machine when something fails due to overstressing)
As you say GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR .
Regards
hoverbover