Firstly,let me add to the condolences offered here to the three souls in the aircraft and also to the person waiting for the heart transplant.The pilot was experienced and he certainly did not wake up that morning thinking that this would be a good day to die.There,but for the grace of God, go I.
Second, I too fly a VFR single (AS350B2) for an EMS outfit.We have only recently been provided with NVGs and before that,at my location, there were times when,if granny turned the porch light off at night, I was,for all intents and purposes, IFR.So,I too am on both sides of the Night VFR issue.
Twins versus singles is a non starter at this point as we don't know if the engine had anything to do with this.But, twins do have the ability to haul a lot more weight ,i.e. a second pilot,more bells and whistles etc.However, I do recall an S76 "fully loaded" for IFR with two pilots on board ,departing an airport,no less, running into a hill a few minutes after take off because they forgot to climb.
Ultimately, it boils down to Training and Technology going hand in hand.And, to be an EMS pilot and be able to say NO every now and then also requires a certain Temperament. It is up to the operators to offer the first two and to help select the appropriate guy for the job.And, it is getting harder everyday as the pool of experienced ,qualified pilots dries up.
Hope you all have a safe and a happy 2012.
Alt3.