Not knowing how effective the streamlining effect is on a Mil-8....it is hard to pass judgement on what happened. It might be they just do not have enough Tail Fin to make that a real choice.
I'm with you Bob, one can control the spin by use of collective. Remember the S-58 video where he lost the TR, punched the load and had the spin stopped but not enough altitude to get some forward speed......
Seems like he could have maybe got some forward airspeed. As I learned during my stuck pedal many years ago, collective can control everything....