for pilots to waste time giving a Mayday call when there is no one, other than themselves, who can help them. It would seem to be a lot more productive to use that time to attempt to regain control.
Much depends on the circumstances and time available. In 1990, an MU-2 iced up at cruise altitude at night and spun in near Meekathara killing the pilot and passenger. The pilot Don Ende, was a highly experienced former Air Accident Investigator.
He was able to describe what was happening and the fact his aircraft was iced up. His transmissions were invaluable to the subsequent investigation into the cause of the accident.
Similarly with the crash of a BAC One-Eleven during a test flight in England in 1963 caused by loss of control after the aircraft entered a deep stall.
The test pilot was able to transmit what corrective actions he was trying.
See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1963_B...ven_test_crash