thecontroller
Ref the R44 crash what on earth are you reading from the report that makes you think most pilots would have deemed it ok to fly?
The Prestwick weather 20 miles away was totally irrelevant. What mattered was the weather at the departure site. And that was so bad that just 2 miles away the pilot couldn't even see a hedge and line of trees on the ground, on trying to land!
VMC until 500ft?? Why climb further into cloud at 500ft? And why attempt a run-on landing anyway on ground you don't know, with diabolical visibility? Sounds more like a pretty miraculous escape (thank goodness) whilst effectively out of control in IMC.
Let's be honest, either a major pilot error was made in considering the weather ok for a departure or a major pilot error was made in deciding when and where to make a precautionary landing.