BillieBob, it's not the 'descending through cloud without a procedure' that's ultimately fatal, it's the 'getting it wrong'. And that applies equally to 'descending through cloud with a procedure, as countless 'professional' pilots have discovered to their cost.
Graham Hill did not have the benefit of an IFR-approved GPS, which arguably makes a carefully-considered NPA (using cautiously-high minima) to an airfield without a published approach actually safer than an NDB approach into some airfields that have a published IAP (maybe with only timing for distance-to-go reference). I have no doubt as to which I would choose in certain circumstances.
Last edited by Islander2; 29th May 2006 at 12:45.