Nosegear,
I also agree with Luke on the bagging instructors, it wasnt the intructors who put this guy where he was, his own decision making process did that
I think instructors are fair game in respect of being bought to task with the standard of pilot they produce, I also am firmly of the opinion that decision making taught during the very early stages of instruction is vital to that students survival!
If the experience base isn't there...the decision making skills are also lacking...so then how can you teach it if you haven't learn't it yourself?
Its not about bagging instructors, its about bagging the system that at times has the blind teaching the ignorant.
The investigation into this incident will focus on this chaps training history, with particular emphasis on his decision making skills, in that regard, I am confident the instructor(s) who taught this fellow will be taking a cold hard look at themselves and asking the question "did I do all I could to prevent this from happening?"
My opinion is that they will have taught this fellow to the best of their ability, I just have a nagging doubt based on past experience, that something might have been missed in this fellows character.
I was fortunate, my nagging doubt I speak about was very nearly beaten out of me by a well respected B cat who at the time grounded me for 2 months..which taught me a lesson that saved my Bacon 10 years later.
We all go through our lives making decisions, some more benign than others, regretably flying at night in a light, under powered training aircraft, in less than ideal weather has proved to be fatal for this poor guy.