there's examples of crashes where people have committed to a field and then at the last minute change their mind because they've decided that another field 'looks better'.
GPN01
The answer lies in your piece above. It is fixation which is the killer. Committed is pretty well fixation.
To allow a situation to develop to the point that the aircraft is SO low that a "panic" turn away is made strengthens my arguement. That landing area should have been discarded sooner.
The pilot who continues an approach to a point where he realises hes not going to make it or the landing site is a very bad idea is a victim of committing to a landing area. get there itis or whatever.
The good pilot will already have other options and in good judgement will throw away his planned landing area when he knows its a bad idea.
200 feet is plenty to turn left or right 30 feet is not. 200 feet and you will know whether or not your going to make it and what you are going to land in.
The good pilot will already know what he is turning into the fixated pilot probably will not. The fixated pilots turn will probably be blind and motivated by desperation and panic. That is not what I am talking about.
But its fixation which causes a very late descision and its fixation which is a known killer.
Pace