Hear Hear
Tragedy aside.
The responsibility for this accident lies squarely with the PIC.
By all accounts here is the series of events from my review of accident report store in the National Archives:
1. He suggested to someone he had problems with either electrics or vacuum pump at Cooly. It sounds like he wasn't sure if his gyroscopic instruments were electric or vacuum driven.
2. He was flying NVMC. Was this due to #1?
3. He planned a flight into known icing conditions in an aircraft not certified for icing conditions.
4. A preceding aircraft (by a matter of 9 mins) flying IFR was given clearance through Williamtown. And aircraft from other origins were obtaining clearances into the airspace.
5. Why did he not plan via Williamtown originally?
6. When he asked for clearance he was not in the muck.
7. They advised that clearance may be available up to 6000 via a coastal route but he would have to hold for a little while OCTA while they sorted the clearance. In my experience this is not uncommon when you approach a clearance zone with either no submitted plan or a change to submitted plan.
8. He made the decision to not hold for a clearance.
9. Although over 3000 hours he had a history of not handling poor weather (IFR) comfortably.
With all due respect Mr Smith please review all the evidence before you start casting dispersions.