"Robert Barker" wrote:
And to protect Airbus, they'll call it "pilot error".

Based on what I've read, that is most likely the case. As I understand it,
this isn't the first time the pitot tubes have iced up on an Airbus and the
pilot has had to fly manually. This is just the first time a pilot has
failed to resort to book procedure all the way to impact.

From what I've read, if the speed readings don't make sense, the book
procedure calls for the pilot to set a specific thrust and elevator
setting. It sounds like the junior pilot did not follow the book procedure.

Impartial
analysis will probably show the pilots had their hands full trying to
turn off all the automation so they could actually fly the stupid
thing.

As I understand it, the autopilot released control to the pilot once the
speed readings on the pitot dropped below a threshold point, so there was
no automation to turn off - it was already off.