Surely when your low on fuel and especially if the low fuel light has already illuminated your main focus would be your hand on the collective, looking for a suitable landing spot and you'd be primed to react immediately.
Years ago I stupidly pushed on in a 206 with the low fuel light on, as I could see the airport a few minutes away ( haven't we all at some time ) I halved the book time, climbed to 1500ft and glued my hand over the collective and kept a constant look out for a suitable landing spot, should the worst happen it was the longest 2/3 minutes of my life unfortunately for me the engine flamed out but I managed a perfect EOL just inside the Airport in question all with 5 POB, I was really lucky and it taught me never to press on like that again.
I find it hard to believe that an experienced guy like this, flying in the dark a few minutes away from safety wouldn't have done the same, there must be other factors contributing to this tragedy, he would have been wound up like a spring ready to react, his mind would have been finely tuned to every sound or reaction of the machine, Surely his mind would also be on the outcome of surviving an EOL landing in the dark with no fuel being the cause! ie losing his job or prosecution. Poor bugger