On-Death: Item Prioritization?

Heyo!

I recently died as I was cutting willows to the tree ent random as I looked away irl for a good bit! Oddly enough, the top 3 items that were spared in my inventory were all willow logs (no mithril hatchet in sight)! I was wondering how that could be when mithril hatchets are worth a tad bit more than willow logs

Is item prioritization upon death not implemented? Or was it out of whack in this one instance?

P.S. - thank god I'm just cutting in Draynor, I just ran back n picked it back up