Citation please because if it was as you stated then there is an immediate appeal provision; that the judge erred in law.
On you stated facts the appeal would succeed on religious grounds. That is when the appeal judge reads the appeal papers and goes, "Geezus Keerist!"
IIRC, it was a Mooney 201 that speared in from around 8,500' out the back the Hay/Balranald area about ten years ago.
The vac pump failed, the A/H fell over and the A/P followed.