Hi, JP.
interesting post.
we are talking about a highly experienced and capable crew, and it is inconceivable that they would have pressed on at low level and high speed so close to that coast UNLESS they could see at least something ahead of them (agreed?).
Agree 100%. So they probably could, unless one of them had suddenly developed suicidal tendancies.
So what went wrong at that stage?
Good question. Neither you nor I will ever know.
So they thought that they could cruise climb above the hills behind the lighthouse, but unfortunately they actually faced the much higher high ground behind the fog signal complex.
You are beginning to spoil an otherwise factual post. You have no way of knowing their intentions. I would think it most unlikely that they planned to do anything of the sort, as the pathetic
icing clearance of this machine would not have allowed a climb to SALT.
Of course, there is no evidence from cockpit recorders to confirm this,
Spot on, so the facts stop here and opinion starts.
but the whole supposition is in any case irrelevant because they should not have been at low level and high speed heading towards that coast in those weather conditions
Provided they were at an airspeed below 140kts and in sight of the surface, oh yes they could. You have no idea of the weather conditions they were flying in, and as you say it is inconceivable that they would blunder on in IMC, knowing that the coast was just ahead.
That was the negligence
Not WAS, MIGHT HAVE BEEN. Certainly, it is possible that you are right, and that they just carried on, without a care, into the cliff. THere is, however, doubt. Enought doubt to be absolutely certain that the verdict of negligence is unsafe.