Accidents involving "more advanced" aircraft do tend to draw attention (here, anyway) because pilots of those types are more interested in learning from others' mistakes. If somebody prangs a C150, it doesn't draw much attention. Whether a pilot of a Baron is necessarily any more smart than a pilot of a C150 is another matter (probably not, but he ought to be).
In a down draft you'll be trying to climb, which is why the nose would be up
If trying to hold altitude, sure.
I saw the MSLP chart for the time but haven't got it saved. It didn't show much wind.