Peter wrote:

Is there some part of this story that I'm missing?

Transition to flying by instruments when you've been flying visually is not
simple and takes time. The airlines learned this in the 30s and will have one
pilot already on the gauges during takeoff when the aircraft will be in IMC
shortly.

An instrument rated pilot goes on the gauges before entering IMC and can be
expected to do well at it. Those who enter IMC unexpectedly may lose control of
the aircraft during the transition to instrument flight.

George Patterson
If a man gets into a fight 3,000 miles away from home, he *had* to have
been looking for it.