The minimums for takeoff are much lower than for landing. Basically all you have to do is track straight and liftoff. They probably would have been out of the fog very quickly after take-off. I suspect maybe one engine went out, or the pilot got disoriented.
I have an IFR rating. Even after all that training I still didn’t want to do actual IFR by myself. With foggles or a hood you can always cheat a little, you can’t when its the real thing. None of my training took me into actual IFR.
I flew a Meyers 20D, a fast mother if you know them. I had 3 key employees on board and took off from Chasey NY on a full IFR flight plan. Made 3 approaches to my small private airport, missed all three IFR VOR. Called ABE approach and was cleared for the approach. Lots of icing on the approach and went around. I made the second by the skin of my butt.
The three plus me were the entire management chain of the company. I had a 5th passenger who I later found out was God. The three employees had no idea of the danger I put them in. To this day they still don’t. Put my plane on the market and never did fly again. God recommended that. I understand the guy who took off. “Gotta get there disease” Death is the only sure cure/So sorry for the families.