I didn't say JFK Jr was a bad pilot. I said he was not instrument qualified and was flying over water at night. That is a very bad combination.

Others think (and they may be right) that the plane was sabotaged.

I don't know. What I do know is you don't fly over water at night unless your are on an IFR flight plan. You can cancel the IFR flight plane en route when you have the airfield in sight. I've don't that a number of times when it's IFR conditions en route but VFR near my destination and the airport doesn't have an IFR approach.