Originally Posted by
nigelh
Downwind .... That accident was so different in every way and not relevant. There was no reason why he should not have taken off . The weather was clear above cloud and he was a current IFR pilot in an IFR machine . He could easily have flown back to base but decided to go into Battersea at last minute .
You may well be right but I recall severe criticism at the time. Sometimes the pilot is under pressure and needs an external agency to ground the flight for him (or her).