yetti,
Not quite sure what your point is.... but agree with your post.
Further back in this (or previous) thread you'll see that these crews were also under threat of draconian measures if they exceeded the icing limits. It is not for us to prove whether or not they could have climbed, the doubt simply removes one of the concrete bastions upon which Wratten and Day damned Jon's and Rick's reputations.
Having attempted cloud penetration in icing conditions to avoid high ground in a Wessex, I can tell you it led to a frightening conclusion. (and this with a couple of UXBs underslung).
SH pilots do not include crystal balls in their flight kit, and can only fly to the forecast or actual conditions.
Ingram's letter beggars belief. How can one so lacking in logical thought hold such high office? As usual his woolly words just strengthen our case!
I would remind him:
Negligence is something which must be proved beyond any doubt whatsoever, not just used as a convenient cause when no other can be found.