In an Airbus, the levers would have been in the climb detent and would not have moved of their own accord.
The whole think is an example of the Swiss cheese model or accident chain:
1. If the system had been repaired correctly.
2. If the crew had recognised the problem and taken appropriate action.
3. If the crew been able to cope with the unusual attitude the aircraft got into.
A layer would have stopped the hole forming or broken the chain and it wouldn’t have happened.