Even if your assumptions are correct, THAT is not causal to the event. Absolutely Nothing would have happened it the Plane had not crashed, unless some kind of checking of records had been done. by chance. I think the two experienced pilots having Military and Airline are not the best to define an aeroplane. I would consider anything that is heavier than air, that obtains LIFT from movement through the AIR and controllable by an Occupant IS an Aeroplane.
People with 10's of thousands of hours make similar POOR decisions occasionally, though Most High Hours pilot became High Hours Pilots by NOT making Bad decisions .Judgement rather than skill level. Human Factors 101. Nev