The coroner seemed to think on evidence that it was a reasonable decision for the pilot to depart
I'm sure the coroner approached the question in an appropriate and reasoned manner for the role and consistent with whatever evidence was led and background knowledge.
Unless it's a case where blind Freddie can see (or should have seen) that it's a no-go situation without any redeeming option, I have no problem with a pilot's heading off to have a look see. We've all done that, have we not ?
However, the problem potentially then arising is the flight management question/strength to make the call in marginal conditions to do something different rather than just continue with crossed fingers. It's a bit like checking - either do really well so it's a programmed pass, or really bad so it's a programmed retraining or another check ride, but don't pussyfoot about on the yes/no fence line so I have to make a decision. I wasn't there so I have no idea what the pilot specifically did or didn't observe on the day. Just a dreadful waste of a young talent and life, with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, that she chose the course of action she did ?
A bit like the two young fellows on the east coast, years ago. I didn't know them but knew one's mother and her parents well when I was a child from family friendships so it was a bit close to home for my liking.
Most of us have been there, done that, got the tee-shirt and, somehow, managed to survive the experience with a greater or lesser degree of terror at the time. The eternal operational question remains - how to put older heads on younger shoulders ?