If the news report (and that's one big if) bears some semblance to what has actually happened, than we have at least two issues here:
1) jumpseating checker pulling illegal and not quite smart stunt.
2) his stunt uncovering deficient manual flying skills on the part of the flightcrew.
However, I'd wait for official word before getting overly excited over it. I won't hold my breath though.
OFFTOPIC:
DownIn3Green, DC-4 dive at Bainbridge was suspected, but
AFAIK not proven, on "unporting" - elevators losing balance and going fully nose down because of the missing hinge bolt. EK Gann's "Fate is the hunter" has a fantastic chapter on it.
Interestingly, capt Sisto was at Lester's groundschool with mr. Gann and he was described as "defiant" and "incorrigible" by the later.