Flight vis, locale, and experience

[9 lives]

but in fairness you are in a helicopter. Can I highlight that in line with Maoraigh1, I do not think this particular crash, which prompted the OP, was a scud running incident.

Indeed, but that's a part of the point. Less common for me, as I am a fixed wing pilot first, so that is a negative factor, but then the increased maneuverability of the helicopter becomes a positive. There is no way you would catch me in that territory in a fixed wing in that weather, I would have turned around much earlier.

From the little I know about the unfortunate couple in Scotland, it would sound like a loss of control from "altitude", rather than scud running. Scud running crashes are more typically more CFIT in somewhat level attitude. I have no knowledge of the capability of the aircraft and pilot, but obviously something was not quite as much as needed.

The key is to recognize the increasing factors, as they gang up on you, before it matters.