TyroPicard :
I have been puzzling over the lack of THS movement from fully nose-up. I can't explain the lack of THS movement while in Direct law.
Yes, puzzling, isn't it ? Did they try using it, though ?
But at 15:45:40 the Pitch Law reverts from Direct to Alternate
Because of the gear retraction, I would guess. And from 15:45:13, the system had lost both FACs feeds, therefore reverting to "alternate" ( Pitch going direct because of the gear-down position, then going back to Alternate with the gear retraction.).
What is lacking in this interim report :
1- The normal load factors (I agree)
2- The instruments indications
3- A CVR transcript.
Without those, one cannot determine whether they had a jammed stabiliser, whether they had full pitch authority during the plunge, whether they knew they had a flight control mode problem...
What I personally know is - on mechanical back-up - the power of that huge piece of aerodynamics called the stabiliser is immense...can the elevator counteract its effect ? and that of the engine-induced pitch-up moment ? I doubt it.