Follow SOP.
This is usually the best answer. Usually.
In an emergency does following SOP preclude good judgement in the interest of safety?
I think we all will agree that safety is the primary objective.
It is up to the remaining flight crew member to choose to go around or choose to land. He would be trained to follow company SOP. However the choice he makes hopefully will be to take the safest course of action.
We cannot be slaves to an SOP to the point that common sense and safety are ignored. SOP are guidlines to ensure safe operation. They do not cover every situation. Most SOP's recognize this fact.
We are professional decision makers. Sometimes we have to just decide what is best given the circumstances.
This is why there is usually a caveat that gives the captain emergency authority to do what is best in the interest of safety.
If I were incapacitated, I would hope my winger would assume command and make a command decision that is the best one given the circumstances. CRM I am no longer a part of.
He or She should decide what is safest at that given moment and follow through on their decision. Most likely follow SOP. But then again, perhaps making an exception is the better choice. One cannot cover all the variables in an SOP to give a canned answer to live or die by under all circumstances.
Just my thoughts. Some may agree. Others may not quite see it this way.
This has been a good discusion to consider the pros and cons of landing vs. a go-around.
