ATC hold being a factor.. ?
No, just the last nail in the coffin.
Respectfully, the "last nail in the coffin" was refusing to disclose true fuel situation to ATC when might still have mattered.
Surely would have received priority over the other aircraft. Except that would have required admitting they had grossly insufficient fuel, have triggered an investigation, resulting in loss of contracts and probably other serious consequences. Especially given the pax on that flight, and the publicity it would have garnered.
Perhaps an even later "nail in the coffin" was when they "drop[ped] all the anchors" (so to speak) in an effort to descend rapidly to reach the glideslope (the one for 'powered' planes, not gliders). Flaps 18, reduced thrust, extended speedbrakes, lowered landing gear, then set flaps 24 and eventually 33.
When they actually needed to maintain as much altitude and energy as possible to cross the high ridges they were approaching on the path to the runway. They did the opposite, and thus impacted near the top of the ridge. Game over.