Again, I maintain that descending below 1,000 feet wasn't the root cause of this incident.
quite right shy, it wasn't - it was descending below 1000' IMC without an sensible plan other than 'suck it and see' and then compounding the error by trying to fly VMC without sufficient references.
If there is nothing wrong with the corporate ethos, how did 2 such experienced pilots nearly kill themselves and their passengers?
It requires extremely high standards at all times.]
and not those demonstrated here then - what are the lower time pilots doing if these are the really good guys?
I am quite aware of what goes on in the corporate world and no doubt the 'loophole' will remain to allow people to keep earning a living from flying helicopters.
BUT, we must accept that we will continue to have such incidents as this, and the ones TC mentions, plus countless other CFITs and near CFITs whilst home-grown approaches with no obstacle clearance planes, no MAP, no DA/MDA are considered an acceptable way of providing public transport.