Having flown to every state in the CONUS, as well as Canada, Mexico, and the Bahamas, I think I have a decent amount of experience with ATC and "bad weather days" (ever fly a CAT II ILS at 1200 RVR, or depart with 600 RVR?). To reiterate what so many others, including myself, have already said: the air traffic controller is not even partially at fault. He didn't get angry at the guy, he didn't ignore him, he asked all the right questions, but the accident pilot gave all the wrong answers ("no" to declaring) and decided to change frequencies anyway. Heck, the air traffic controller spent more time and put more effort into communicating than the pilot did. It's
our responsibility as pilots to communicate when we need help and what it is we need help with, not ATC's responsibility to deduce by the tone of our voice. If I were to auger it in after departing into conditions I had no business flying in, I sure as heck wouldn't want someone pinning responsibility for my death on someone who had nothing to do with my bad decision, and who I gave very little opportunity to even assist me. Whatever, though. I'm gonna quit arguing before I get myself labeled as one of those people who freaks out every time someone is wrong on the internet.