Passable, predictable result
It's been entertaining reading some of the more thoughtful analyses - always good to think about formulating our own emergency plans. There's no doubt that this could have turned out much, much worse, particularly with the atrocious weather conditions we've been experiencing across much of Australia recently. I give credit to a relatively low-time pilot for walking away from what's probably a salvageable aircraft (maybe). However, most of us would have hoped we could have done better.
What surprises me is how many writers are unfamiliar with the characteristics of airline trainees as a group. I'm a moderately experienced PPL and have flown quite a bit on both the east and west coasts. Whatever future attributes these guys may develop, the sausage factory approach to training (often international) airline pilots here in Aust produces some pretty marginal low-time operators. Flying around Perth these days I observe very regular examples of poor stick and rudder skills, poor judgement, marginal situational awareness and plain poor communication. Local pilots can be guilty of all of these things and more, but I'm frequently amazed at how much trouble some 'professional' airline trainees seem to have in simple matters such as arriving at an uncontrolled aerodrome, assessing the prevailing weather and traffic situation, joining the circuit in a safe and convenient fashion, conveying their intentions, and so on.
I disregard the more extreme urban myths - of which there are many - about trainee airline pilots but my own observations make me think that the Mangalore outcome is pretty much as I'd expect or, in truth, a bit better. I don't think that being a professional ATPL precludes a love of aviation and a mastery of basic flying and judgement skills (!) The game is littered with examples of great flying by people I, for one, would aspire to emulate. Sadly, my own observation of, and conversation with, some of the airline trainees makes me wonder if the sausage factories will ever produce such pilots.