Creamer,
Welcome to the campaign thread. You are correct, a lot of emotion lies behind the posts on this topic. Please do read the background to it if you can spare the time.
I totally agree with your sentiment that the pax should have been sent "by other means" such as by a fixed wing (with an IFR and icing clearance). I have been saying this since the accident. I wrote a letter to Flight International twelve years ago saying just that, which they published, albeit watered down with a paragraph cut out. I have seen nothing to make me feel any different, only the contary.
Unfortunately it seems that some one in higher authority saw fit to mandate that the Chinook Mk2 was used despite it not having a proper C of A clearance and some unserviceabilities.
My own belief is that a point was being made about that higher authority's decision to find the type and the example serviceable, come what may, contrary to the advice given by the Boscombe Down test pilots who grounded their example the previous day. It wasn't serviceable or fit for purpose and as we all know, it ended in this terrible tragedy.
This was a management accident if ever there was one.