"Wasn't that what had happened to JFK Jr.?"
Basically, he went far off shore at night for a more direct route, and could no longer see the coast line, weather was marginal I believe.
Both of them had little business flying in bad weather. If Lidle was trying to do a flyaround of Manhattan it is hard to think of a worse day to do it. It is easy for people to say "tragedy". But pilots have a choice whether or not to fly in bad weather. JFK and Lidle were both rookie pilots and shopuld have known better.