The plane had everything needed but I don’t think he was instrument rated. Even at that pretty much from novice pilots on up they should have at least rudimentary instrument knowledge. He may have frozen or panicked.
Yeah, when I played my cheap flight simulators (gaming not actual flight simulators) you just follow the artificial horizon and the altimeter. If you got disoriented during a dogfight at night, look at the instruments.
Just hope there isn’t a mountain nearby.....
That being said, then there was a whiteout condition one time.....clouds and snow:
Big ol’ DC-10 - at least a couple of DC-10 incidents in 1979. Chicago was because of maintenance not following proper procedure and damaging the No. 1 pylon IIRC.
Air New Zealand:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApIq0Z6bxDw