Thanks, PBL. As you'll gather, I'm still puzzling over the 'human factor' angle, either one of two such experienced pilots making such a basic mistake.
According to this (AP) account, Captain di Sacco (much experienced in 737s, but a relative newcomer to A320s) was the "Pilot Flying', Captain Lima (the TAM veteran and training pilot) was co-pilot.
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007...2_118_1_07.txt
"Only one reverser. Spoiler nothing," says pilot Henrique Stephanini Di Sacco, 53, giving the first indication that something is wrong.
"Look at that. Slow down, slow down," says co-pilot Kleyber Lima, 54. Di Sacco replies: "I can't. I can't. Oh my God! Oh my God!"
Lima's last words are: "Go! Go! Turn! Turn! Turn!"
That makes more sense - in that a relative newcomer to the aeroplane would be more likely to get confused. It also possibly explains why the nominal 'co-pilot' seemed to be giving instructions in the last moments ('Decelerate!'....'Turn!') rather than offering advice.
Brings up a possibly-relevant new angle, though. From the CVR transcript, the words attributed to Captain di Sacco are shown as emanating from the 'HOT-2' microphone; which, as far as I know, records the occupant of the righthand seat. Don't know about anyone else, but I've up to now been visualising the PF in the lefthand seat.
"18:48:26.7 HOT-2 reverse number one only.
"18:48:29.5 HOT-2 spoilers nothing.
"18:48:30.8 HOT-1 aaiii. [sigh]"
As an amateur flyer, I'd have thought that if the 'Pilot Flying' was indeed flying the landing from the righthand seat (after all those years as a captain with his previous airline) it can't have made landing in such difficult conditions (or handling the throttles in a dark cockpit?) any easier? But I'm sure that the professional pilots on here can comment more authoritatively on that issue?