Originally Posted by
Ian W
At the speed they were traveling there should be no significant nose down pitch from reducing the power to a reasonable level.
The engine cowling lift is only significant at high AOA (that's why MCAS only operates when it thinks the aircraft is at high AOA). The aircraft was actually flying with a low AOA. A reduced speed would have increased the elevator authority and reduced the load on the manual trim.
A reduced speed by having a lower thrust setting to begin with, yes more controllable.
Reducing thrust from a higher thrust setting incurs a nose down moment. Basic stuff.
We're possibly getting confused between velocity and acceleration? Momentum around the CG?
If thrust were to be reduced for this flight it would have been best to do immediately after TO. But, in this case, immediately after takeoff was stick-shaker and airspeed warning- not the optimum time to reduce thrust when hundreds of feet AGL.