Far from being a "poor bugger" this pilot was being absolutely moronic. Murderously so, frankly. He was hand flying an unstabilised machine in IMC at just over tree top height. There was absolutely no excuse - he took off in clear VMC weather and pressed on with the weather progressively deteriorating until he was in pretty much solid IMC. Others might know better, but it seems perhaps that the final LOC came when he lost what stability he had trying as he slowed to find/descend/land at his site. But clearly it was an accident waiting to happen if ever we saw one. All the worse because his actions increasingly terrified his passengers on what was to have been one of the best days of their lives.
I've long thought obtaining a pilot's licence should include some kind of test or qualifications to demonstrate reasonable intelligence - which was clearly lacking here. No one would expect to have a brain surgeon operate on them without having previously demonstrated a high level of intelligence and a pilot can kill his customers as easily. When conditions get different and challenging, it is the intelligence to deal with them sensibly (as well as training and experience of course) that often determines whether the result is a fatal accident or not.