Hi lefthanddownabit
Of course, if there is anything I’ve learned in the years I’ve spent in this industry, it is that “eye witnesses” are not generally the most reliable of witnesses. However, having said that, some of the passengers on board the flight indicated that the bank angle achieved got much more than what was alleged by the flight crew or acknowledged in the “official” report. And, some of the persons with whom the flight crew allegedly spoke immediately after landing, originally indicated that the story the crew gave at first was somewhat different than the one they gave later to the investigators. Again, surely speculative; but interesting nonetheless. And, lest someone believe I’m out to “get” the crew … I am not! I just want the training exposure experienced to focus on the skills learned and reinforced to be the same skills that are necessary and proper to use when in flight.
Actually, I had not considered your theory of potentially incomplete A/P disconnect; an interesting point I do admit. But, I do know what simulator was used for the most recent training of this crew; and I do know what was taught regarding the use of the rudder in that simulator (and now I know why) – and some of the stories told about the initial discussions immediately after the incident/accident match suspiciously closely to what would likely have happened had the crew followed the techniques used in the simulator.