Just a thought....how long is the Pre-Landing Check List and how is it presented....Mental recall only, written in a Check List , presented digitally, or just by Pilot Memory?
The comment about the Pilot not selecting the correct Throttle Mode during the 27 Seconds following lowering the Landing gear and the aircraft striking the Ramp....without some basis of the workload the Pilot was confronted with during that time period begs expanding upon by the investigating Officer.
How many items on that Check List?
Is there a "Finals" Check List for limited to critical items only...Gear Flaps, Throttle, AFCS, Radar, etc..
There seems to ample evidence the Pilot was being over loaded and just failed to admit it and initiate a Go Around on his own.
A carrier landing is difficult under any circumstances....and in a very short abbreviated landing circuit there is a lot of acuities going on that pose a distraction.....called handling of the aircraft....that interferes with the house keeping side of business.
No matter how good you are or have been....every landing is a test of your skill and ability. and of the aircraft and its systems, and of external support and assistance of the Carrier.
Habits are hard to break.
Having George flying your approaches is a gift from the Gods.....until George makes a mistake or is given confusing directions by the Pilot.
Auto Pilots are pretty reliable as are Humans....but no matter how capable the Auto Pilot can be....they have to be set up properly both by the Engineers but also the Pilot of the Aircraft.
In this accident I do not see anything that triggered a warning to the Pilot of impending disaster as the aircraft did not warn him and he himself did not tweak to the fact there was a problem of his own doing.
For Not a Boffin.....even the LSO's were not aware of a problem until the very final moments as they. had no indication of a problem from any one or any thing.