Backpacker - I completely agree with all of that.
I don't think the hours or age made any difference to the accident. What I draw from the deception or casual attitude to these forms is that it's likely it carried to the flight testing given it's largely self certificated.
Without documents to suggest otherwise I don't think that can be ignored.
There is always a fondness for the maverick, devil may care styled hero. At some point it just becomes reckless. It takes no skill to be reckless.