A large segment of the press refuses to speak of pilot error, but they have no problem whatsoever suggesting system malfunctions.
The preliminary report doesn't point fingers and doesn't mention either pilot error or system malfunction, other than the TOWS.
The "facts" to the best of their knowledge are:
-The pilots followed (reasonably) the checklist. They seem to have called flaps and slats as "ok". It is not known if they were sure, as it wouldn't be the first case found of a "rotten response".
-But the flaps were NOT out at that time, as per the DFR. It is not known why yet, but the procedures to determine the possitions of the handle are being studied right now.
-The TOWS alarm didn't sound, and it should've if the flaps weren't out. It is not known why it failed, but the workability state of the R2-5 relay is being suspected and investigated right now.
Now, think for a second. If the pilots called the flaps and slats as "ok" and, LET'S ASSUME FOR A SECOND that they were not "ok" (either system malfunction or forgetting to deploy them) ... how do you think it could've happened that, when the pilots "lowered the handle" to the first detent:
-Both, the left and right slat didn't go out to mid possition in the front of the wings.
-That the lighted indicator that signals that the slats are in takeoff possition lighted up, while the rest of the slats indicators (autoslat fail, etc) remained off.
... and when they set the handle to the second detent:
-Both, the left and right flaps didn't deploy the 11º commanded on the back of the wings.
-That the ANALOG dial that shows the position the flaps are "positively" in (and independently of the possition of the handle), showed 11º for each wing and yet the flaps remained at 0º (as shown in the DFR).
That would imply that at least 8 independent mechanisms (4 for each wing), all very simple and extremely reliable, decided to fail at the same time (slats actuators, slats sensors, flaps actuators, flaps sensor) in such an incredible way that they signaled "slats ok for takeoff" and "flaps at 11º" for both wings while they were actually not.
And remember, some 45 minutes earlier, the flaps had come down 11º upon the first attempt to take off.
Besides being obvious that it was probably the pilots forgetting to deploy them (as in Northwest, LAPA, MAP and other "proven" cases), even if the flaps and slats failed by some "impossible" reason, the crew would still be at fault for not checking the indicators to make sure the devices were in the correct position before accelerating for takeoff.
The press continues, even as today, to twist and turn the facts to fit their "show".
Today I saw headlines in the like of "The preliminary report shows that electrical malfunction of a relay needed to deploy takeoff systems is the cause of the accident"
