Chinook
ABinW.
I think you are missing the point. It is absolutely certain, without any doubt whatever,as they say, or as you ask, with 100% certainty, that the aircraft was at low level and high speed heading towards cloud-covered high ground. Now, either the aircraft was not under control (all systems seized or whatever) ; or, the crew were not where they thought they were, and they climbed to clear hills that turned out to be several hundred feet higher than they expected. I do not mind in the least which version you care to support, but there are many experienced folk out there who accept the sad and unfortunate view that the crew got it wrong. I happen to be one of them.
We have been here many times before, and my original point a few posts back was simply that being at low level, high speed and heading towards those hills in those IMC conditions was itself the negligence of whch the crew were accused. I ask you once again, would you have pressed on?
With all good wishes. John Purdey