It can be very tempting. Perhaps it was a clear night, lots of stars. The moon would not rise until after midnight down there. Hey, it's just another night flight, right? We'll be able to see. Perhaps Mike hadn't done many long cross-countries over water, and underestimated the challenge. Even if everything had gone perfectly, he had his hands full.
For a while I flew a helicopter based on a small island off the coast of Honduras. We had no hospital, just a very basic clinic. One night six kids were involved in a deadly head-on boat collision (three died). Local authorities wanted me to fly two injured girls down to the mainland. It was "only" a 70-mile flight, and the night was clear. I said no. They pleaded. I said I was sorry. It wasn't even a hard decision. A tough decision, but not a hard one.
But this what helicopters do, right? Save lives? React in an emergency on a moment's notice? I can imagine the pressure Mike was under...wanting to help, optimistically thinking he could...
Maybe in an airplane...something with inherent stability, with a panel full of gyro gauges. Yeah, then...maybe.
But not in a helicopter.
Very sad.