It is not often I find myself in agreement with Bose-X but when one removes the (at this point) implied suggestion that there was a 'green light' from the acting CFI before this ferry flight set out it does come down to pilot error.
The debate surely must lie with what responsibility an FTO should and shall have in such situations whereby a junior club member is stitched up with a wolf dressed as a sheep type offer of free flying. Ultimately the pilot in command is to blame but there are other factors affecting this accident that as yet mean it could quite easily occur again.
In my opinion FTO's have a certain moral and unwritten(?) responsibility to ensure they do not place requests on club members that are well and truly beyond their abilities. Maybe this is something which will come out in the wash and change the present rather inadequate regulations which bundle all blame on the PIC on the premise that they're street wise experienced commanders capable of overriding their superiors. It is just unrealistic in some club circles.
VFE.