In reviewing a number of helicopter flight manuals, and considering what I would do under the various circumstances, I recall the two written phrases: "Land immediately" relative to "Land as soon as possible". One flight manual defined "Land as soon as possible" but referred to "Land immediately" as being "self evident". I'm no so sure I agree....
"Land" suggests the pilot is to take action which would result in returning to earth both safely, and with the expectation of little or no damage to the helicopter. Isn't anything less, a "Crash", as compared to a "Landing"? I have not seen a flight manual which says: "Crash immediately"....
I think that a pilot has the right to expect that his aircraft is not likely to further deteriorate during his attempt to get down with little damage or risk, "land". Yes, the worst can happen, but the design standards do define a number of intended safeguards, to give that margin of safety and time. A 30 minute run dry sound like one to me.
I opine that the flight manual statement "Land immediately" should be ammended to also say "... and crash if you have to", if that's the reality of the situation. Let's call it what is is!
If things are still turning under power, and control is still available, it is really asking a lot of the pilot to give up the possibility of a "landing", to just crash. It's hard to explain that to the boss - "the X light flickered, so I crashed your umpteen million dollar helicopter". I equate it to ejecting. I have never been trained to eject, or otherwise give up on flying. I have been trained to land - normally, precautionary, or forced, as the case may be. I accept that some military aircraft are well served by the provision for the crew to eject. I do not think that civil use aircraft would benefit from this provision.
I think our industry must provide aircraft, which can be "landed" under all but the most dire circumstances. We then need to train pilots when they must "land". "Immediately", should not be a part of that. Unless you're on approach to the perfect surface, you should feel confident that you can use some judgement, and have a few minutes, to select a place where you might land, rather than crash. If the helicopter is going to crash, because the turning has stopped, or control is impossible, the pilot just became a passenger, and is relieved of the responsibility of flying, otherwise, he should get to fly....