Phantoms reacted differently to emergencies.
If someone like Adam were in Katrin's place, he wouldn't have called for a pilot or abandoned his original goal with cold reason, realizing the gravity of the situation.
What would he have done?
Well, it's pretty obvious - he would rush into battle against the Dormant Lord, and then think about what to do next.
It was hard to know whose decision was right, but to be fair, in most cases, Adam's choice would be a reckless failure, while Katrin's was a mature, quick, and measured one.
Retreating and trying to return to the Citadel was the right thing to do, yes it led to the pilot's death, but the reason for that was the unexpected reaction of the Dormant Lord.
Fighting against such a dangerous enemy during the Eclipse was truly suicidal. Even if Katrin wins, by then, there will be hundreds of monsters around Crystal Gorge - it will be a trap impossible to escape from.