OK, this isn't speculation. This is me venting as a Naval Aviator, and I need somewhere to do it so it might as well be here. Why, oh why, did they not EJECT?! The airplane has million dollar seats in it specifically to save the pilots asses in this exact situation. I think that between evolving from the T34C where you had to open the canopy and physically climb out with a parachute hanging on your ass, and also the command being overall very low on instructors who come from a platform with ejection seats the Primary squadrons have evolved to NOT PULL THE HANDLE. Huge, HUGE organizational failure. They never evolved away from the constant litany of engine failure emergency procedures that they did in the T34, and do you think a former jet pilot would have rode that thing into a damn house? NOPE. If I have controllability, I'm pointing it somewhere safe and slowing it down.
We could still have two young, high potential aviators with us drinking and telling their story. Instead, they're in a smoking hole that they didn't have to be in.