Aterpster, I don't think that we're really disagreeing on much here.
A couple of comments, not necessarily disputing what you say:
Originally Posted by
aterpster
Having said that I believe the BE1900 was still being tracked on the Anchorage Center radar until at, or at least near, the crash site.
That may be, I haven't been on the other side of the scopes but from my side of the radio, it always seemed that radar was spotty at best below 5000 ft around Dillingham, that said, I've been called in contact at 2000 ft between Dillingham and King Salmon more than once.
I have also seen the Anchorage Center MIA maps for the area. The MIA is 2,000 until nearing Dillingham, where it becomes 4,000.
Originally Posted by
aterpster
but the system was fundamentally changed in the U.S. because of the 1974 TWA crash. FAA ATC has long since been required to keep the rocks away, and set you up at a legal and safe altitude for an instrument approach.
This is true, I'm not claiming that ATC does not have a responsibility to provide terrain separation, I'm just saying that from a philosophical approach, it's better to proceed as if they don't and the responsibility is solely on the pilot. (Sometimes impractical in off route ops, I Know) That way you aren't taken by surprise when they drop the ball.
Taking that outlook would have kept them alive, as they had all the information they needed to not hit the hill, right there on the RNAV 19 IAP.
I was flying that evening, and could hear the search and rescue Herc calling to them continuously on Guard. Took all I had to not shut off that radio as I was pretty sure they weren't ever going to answer.