Kaptin M,.
Well you have certainly done that.
The SOP for McMurdo stated the only descent available and the reason for that has been stated many times, the fact that the weather was below the minimums required for that descent does not authorize a crew to invent their own visual descent.
I willingly accept the fact that I am not a GOOD pilot, I lasted 45 years without hurting me or any of my passengers. From Agricultural to Airline, and with a break as an Air Traffic Controller, and some 5,000hrs Single Pilot IFR ops.
In that time I have read many many many accident reports, and one thing they all appear to have in common is how good the pilot was.
Prospector