Machinbird ...
The Perpignan accident involving A320 D-AXLA, although a different Airbus model, indicated to me the amount of pitch authority Airbus builds into their THS designs and how an aircraft could be left with full nose up trim and only the manual trim wheel available to reduce this trim. When added to a triple pitot tube freeze up, and a full trim tank, the resulting cockpit “pinball show” could easily confuse an unsuspecting aircrew until it was too late. I also suspect cockpit design made it too hard to get the critical information needed (actual power setting, THS position, actual angle of attack) and as a result, the aircrew was unable to develop the big picture of what was happening. I also suspect that the A-330 can be held in a deep stall by full nose up trim and an aft CG and yet be stabilized in a relatively stable normal flight attitude by the flight control system.
Machinbird; Thanks for elaborating, and your reference to the Perpignan accident makes it clearer. The Alpha floor protections, the aft CoG and the trim tank have all got a hand in this. You have painted a picture that certainly draws attention to the position of the THS when the AP threw the towel in.
My reference is
http://www.andytracy.net/files/27FLTCTL.doc , and I'm sure there will be further discussion.
mm43