Rotorspeed, you and others have suggested that pressure to fly from management may have been a factor. I don't know the pilot but I do know his boss, his bosses' boss, the base, the airport, the dispatchers, the aircraft and the company quite well. I don't know the circumstances of the accident either but in my own experience with this company I have never felt pressured to do anything. I have seen the occasional lowlevel manager take it upon himself to offer 'suggestions' or give 'advice' on what he would do, but it's very easy to just disregard their input and do what you think is safe instead. More often I've seen pilots put pressure upon themselves to fly, especially in the Gulf, in an effort to please a customer or get the job done.