Almost a year of his life airborne? Flight instructor? And this happens? Yeah, OK...
What are you suggesting? Spatial disorientation is very real when flying IFR. It tricks your brain and you must trust instruments even when you feel like they are all wrong. At night its even worse. The problem is letting your ego or some paying passenger lead you to flying into zero vis near terrain just because ‘gotta get there’.
Yep,with all of his experience, training and an instructor. He thought, "yea I got this" and made a rookie mistake and flew into IFR conditions thinking I can do this.
In the fog, yeah. Nobody is perfect, no matter how much flight time they have. Especially if their inner ear decides to get it wrong.