Well, this is quite the angry, abusive, patronising diatribe from Homesick Angel, but unfortunately it completely misses the point. If we are looking at another classic 'VFR into IMC' accident, as I admit it does look like, then the point which is being missed is to ask why, once again, sensible people have made apparently inexplicable decisions.
These were experienced private pilots who had been flying various aircraft, including quite complex ones, for many years and had successfully managed to avoid killing themselves thus far, a success rate which it seems unreasonable to attribute purely to chance. If you'd asked these pilots the day before the accident "Do you think you're the kind of pilot who might die in a VFR into IMC accident?" they would probably have laughed you out of the room and told you not to be so stupid. An attempt in due course to try and dissect why these pilots apparently made a poor decision is more likely to help prevent this in future than a diffuse rant at private pilots that "You don't know ****".
As a private pilot with a thousand hours of stick and rudder time in my Super Cub, comprising over 5,000 landings into the shortest and most restricted of locations and with not a scratch put on the machine in that time, I could justifiably rant that airline pilots who stall their aircraft into the ocean because they are incapable of hand flying it or who allow it to get 30 knots (30 frigging knots!) too slow on the approach also "don't know ****". I might even be justified, but it doesn't help anyone.
More insight, less ego, less anger, less abuse probably make for a better approach to flight safety. Wouldn't you agree, Homesick Angel?
Every rumour I was told is true.
This is pretty much the biggest waste of life I've seen in 10 years in the game because of how easy this one was to avoid.
WTF they thought they were doing is beyond me. I know of 15 thousand hour pilots who were sitting on the ground because it was unsuitable for VFR and only a handful of IFR were getting out and doing what they needed.
Here's a few messages out for the PPL /private flying community out there.
1. You are a PPL. Even if you've been flying for 20 years it doesn't mean **** unless you are current and fly weekly at least in a range of conditions.
2. You are not beyond the laws and consequences of flaunting them or pushing them.
3. Statistics show you are the most unsafe people in the sky. That should be a trigger for you to take great care.
4. Ask , ask and then ask again. Even the most junior instructor who has worked for a year or two has more currency and understanding of the local area and wx than you. You don't know ****. See point 3 for proof. Go look at the stats. See how many instructors die vs you guys. They work under safety frameworks you have no idea of.
5. If you wanna play with the big boys in the soup then take it seriously and get an IFR rating, keep it current and tread with absolute care. If it runs out, YOU ARE NOT suitable for IMC.
6. People will take more risks in groups than alone. I wonder if any single pilot on board would have gone alone, and gone if others hadn't tried. The worst of it had appeared to pass , but a simple call would have shown them this was a false dawn ... See next point.
7. RING THE MET PEOPLE . There is a number at the end of the ARFOR. They are Yoda like and have far more current modelling than all but the latest TAFS.
8. If you see people doing dumb sh1t report them or if they are close pull them aside quietly and have a word. They may not like it but stiff.
Take care.