When I offroad I never use esp or abs. I used to do the button trick, though now my rusted out reluctor rings make every drive a drive without those systems. Gotta fix those before winter!
I've flicked this thing so hard I've had it on two wheels. I can turn it around in a heartbeat without problems, but I don't use the handbrake (no need to on dirt/mud). I've also had it at the kind of angles that cause airbag deployments in newer trucks. Maybe something about the handbrake followed by immediate application of throttle and rapid direction change freaks the computers out.
Funny you can do this without problems:
But a handbrake turn is just too much?

Next time I'm in a mud pit I'll remember to give the handbrake a good yank as a test.