I've found that pilots generally make decent operational decisions soon after they start flying for food as long as they follow the - relatively simply - decisionmaking process. Problems start showing up when they deviate from that process or start doctoring it if they don't like it - e.g. calculating the odds before getting the facts, or skewing them to fit a wish.

Accident
 

Gents,

We must remember that starvation an exhaustion are 2 different things.

In this case the later most likely will apply.

Saddest part is one article said the older sister died in a snowmobile accident before. Can't imagine being that wife and mother.....