I think someone pointed out earlier that this is what you get when the Children of the Magenta Line meet the Climate of Fear: It’s better to have an accident following rules, even if they are no longer sensible in the situation, than to save the day by thinking outside the box (or using common sense, as above).
It comes down in the end as to why we (pilots) are there in the first place? Is it to make sure we follow regulations and best practice as much as possible? Yes, that’s part of it, but the *real* reason we sit at the front is for the time when the rules don’t apply, or would make the situation worse. Not that long ago I attended a live training presentation on deliberate rule-breaking and how it was an essential part of safety culture; the message had obviously made it to the top that mental flexibility was paramount when dealing with situations outside the scope of normal operations.