Lots of themes to explore here. It so often takes a tragic accident to expose systemic failures and weaknesses in an organisation's culture and operating practices. For those that haven't done it, operating a helicopter and managing a crew at low-level, in the dark, in poor weather and an unfamiliar environment is challenging to say the least. Those that have have all had their sphincter-tightening moments. When I think about it in detail I've had too many 'near-misses' for comfort. One that springs to mind was a very close encounter with a significant mast that was only avoided by a very late call of 'up, up, up' by my sharp co-pilot. And that was on a pre-recce'd low-level route using NVDs and it was a known and accurately marked obstruction!
I guess my point is that with the best will in the world, and multiple safeguards, tragic accidents like this are waiting to happen. Pointing the finger is not helpful; what is required is a very honest and thorough review of every aspect of this accident so that the risk of a similar one happening in the future is removed as far as possible. Only then will the friends, families and colleagues take some comfort in this tragic loss.