Crab, I know you did not like my last stories so I share another one with you. Maybe some sort of cathartic revelation if nothing else. Almost 25 years ago I was tasked to an accident at a tourist spot in on a hill in the South Downs., A young man had managed to get himself caught up in the driveshaft of a steam drive attraction inside a shed. He was severely injured. It took the Paramedic, the Policeman with us and myself almost 2 hours to extract the poor lad. Being younger and enthusiastic I was right there helping out.
However, when we finally exited the building the weather had taken a turn for the worse. Drizzle, low cloud and the dreaded hill fog. Despite a road ambulance now being on scene, I made the decision to fly the patient to the hospital. The wx at low levels being confirmed as within limits. Once airborne I faced the same conditions as this crew found themselves in. I grovelled through the crap, popped out halfway down and made it safely to the hospital. It was not nice. Remember, apart from the crew I was SPVFR.
On review I had some hard thinking to do. Certainly I had breached my wx minima, Certainly I could have declined and he would have gone by road. Certainly the outcome for the patient was better using the helicopter. However, on balance, I made some serious mistakes. The first, allowing myself to become absorbed in the medical task to the detriment of the aviation requirement. (something we were warned about frequently by the Management and the Regulator). The second, not having big enough balls to decline the flight. I got away with it. No one questioned the task. However, I knew what I had done and since that day I have never allowed myself to end up like that again.
Making mistakes is one sure way to learn. However, listening to the mistakes of others and applying them to our own performance is much better.