Tell me which part is crapola and I’ll tell you if I made it up.
Actually, I have a background in Aviation, though I am not a pilot. I repeated what was told to me by some pilots after JFK, Jrs. death.
I didn’t challenge your JFK Jr assertion, but having previously been an instruments instructor, I can tell you that usually the first thing that goes wrong is a turning sensation from the inner ear that initially leads to loss of control if not discovered and fixed by training pilots to force themselves to follow their instruments. Most can do that but it takes training and continual reinforcement through hands-on practice. Watching an autopilot isn’t hands-on practice!
JC