ampan
What about the second option? Stay on the track and just pull back the stick. Why turn?
I was only commenting on your questioning the decision to climb we weren't debating the decision to turn.
Since you raised it, why not stay on track? My answer to that is a bit like the decision to climb, it's partly instinctive, you know what's behind you as you've just come from there. The crew were already asking questions about their situation, some things weren't adding up so to me at least, a climb and a turn to head back to where you've just come from is entirely a reasonable option.