Most accidents I'm aware of seem to be where the crew stays coupled to 500 feet and disconnects it, having no idea what trim forces or flying qualities the autopilot has been dealing with. Then they PIO and have to deal with elevator software loads that keep changing because the airframe mob keeps demanding something be done to a perfectly good airplane.
The industry's infatuation with always flying at the highest level of automation is responsible for a great many accidents the last two decades, imho.
Amen to that bro.
The MD11 operation went quite smooth in the beginning as the crews came from DC10, MD80 and some from 767. All aircraft that were pitch-power training machines, trimming required (DC10 CWS off). The troubles started as a lot of A320 and regional-jet trained (the case for LH) transited to the Maddog. Especially when most MD11 were transformed to freighters the provenance and training of the crews lost a lot of emphasis.
Now we are confronted with the outcome. But all of us who have pinpointed to this for years will be yelled down again by the "cheap training" through "great automation progres"' lobby.
Mark my words that we are running into the same problems again, this time concerning the oh so loathed automated (neutered) birds, as the slashing of selection and training of the modern "pilots" to a mind numbing level continues.
Brave new world