Condolences to the bereaved families and RIP and respects to the pilots.
While the weather may or may not have been a factor and other issues are yet to be determined,I will refrain from making any assumptions. But----
From a purely human factors point of view I am sure the AW139 was sold to the owner as an "all weather aircraft" with all the whiz bang bells and whistles to make flying in "zero zero" conditions child's play. Well,looks as if the owner demanded a return on his investment and the piper had to be paid ---unfortunately in blood.
There have been plenty of accidents and incidents off shore and on shore of highly sophisticated aircraft with two pilots ending up in the drink, or almost there, and even other gcrashing.The reason is perhaps because the pilot on controls in IMC is the only one afflicted by, and reacting to, an SD situation.By the time pilot monitoring realizes what is happening and attempts to take control,it is too late. So, two crew or single pilot, sophisticated aircraft or not, the best thing to do on a bad weather day is to stay on the ground.And, Shy Torque, that is straight out of the airmanship book of rules.
But, like all or most of us, we are all susceptible to the pressures of the ultimate human failing : the loss of a paycheck.
Alt3