I gotta call BS. Maybe a good on-the-fly excuse to his leadership and a face saving option for media consumption. Sure.
But if anyone in the business actually thinks that abortion of a maneuver and near destruction of beach side property and potential death of numerous innocent beach goers is a better alternative to taking a bird or two, they’re not playing with a full deck. He wasn’t even going that fast. The canopy is easily rated to take that and if an engine gets involved, well he’s got another. UFB.