If this is true it represents a shocking catalogue of errors on the day, but also in training and culture. This simply could not happen without the crew being so far off the beam as to be unrecognisable to a regular airline pilot. The number of things you have to get wrong to do this is in the multiples territory. From the simple question what does handling pilot do at VR even if there is no call from the copilot - ROTATE to15 degrees is the answer since nothing else will do the job. F/D or no F/D. The plane flies by its attitude on takeoff. Unless you are utterly mesmerised by the magenta line issue. Then how many times do we check the MCP altitude before takeoff - four?
By the way someone said this had been moved to another area? Why would that be? It is very much the stuff of Rumours and News. How could this have been kept quiet I wonder since the aircraft was damage apparently..
Best.....
Retd guy