A report in the Times of London - link below - states that one of the Netherlands aviation authorities suggests that both engines stalled on finals.
It seems that the report ACTUALLY suggests the engines were not delivering power- as would happen if the engines were at idle.
And of course, as soon as the word "Stall" appears in the lexicon, journalists relate it to there mini-metros and assume engine failure.
One of the most challenging things to do in a Boeing (and I would assume other makes) is do an Auto-pilot on GS capture from above.
SOPs almost always mean the Platform Altitude is set in the MCP. Descend in VNAV SPD or FLCH with the GS armed and reach the MCP altitude fiirst, the aircraft captures the alt and levels off, putting it FURTHER above the glide.
I've seen this many times, both Aircraft and Sim. Already hot, high and loaded, the pilot is suddenly faced with an aircraft not heading down, with TLs increasing thrust.
One (Pefectly valid) reaction is to disconnect AP and increase descent rate to capture the GS. In 737s, many operators SOPs require (and, indeed, Boeing reccomends) that AP off means AT off as well.
I'm a couple of years off the NG, but I seem to think that in the above senario, there would be no Autothrottle Wake Up if speed decayed. Is that correct?