Beating on any agency, operator or individual is not productive. I encourage everyone to look at the certification standards for Private and Commercial for fixed wing and then rotorcraft side by side. There is no instrument training or practical testing at the Private level for Rotorcraft. There is 5 hours training at the Commercial level but no practical testing on Rotorcraft. Yet the VFR requirements have always been lower for Rotorcraft. Under 135 there is only a requirement for training and testing if the operator is approved for IFR operations. Very few rotorcraft are certified for IFR. Historically the need for IFR has not been there and it does kill the utility of rotorcraft to fly IFR as there is really no infrastructure to support it increasing flight times dramatically when forced into fixed wing route structures.
A great alternate route would have been to fly towards Catalina then go north on the airway just past the Class B airspace. No terrain, no traffic, no altitude restrictions. Two engines and they flew to Catalina regularly. Stay on top to destination then find an area to descend.