Zeedoktor
Complex and rare systems failure vs. inattentive crew cockup.
It may not be "versus" but "combined with" in this case ... if the rumors are founded in fact.
If not, back to the drawing board, but the question remains ... why were they not able to regain control?
They had 30,000+ feet in which to do so, based on FL selected.
What prevented regaining control?
Training?
Simple mechanical failure?
Robot gone made or become counterproductive?
Simple human error?
Man Machine Interface issues?
Complex human error?
The question that has been in my brain since the early going with this mishap is ... why did they (apparently) fly straight into a serious convective weather system? Answering that seems to me to be where ANY aircrew on ANY model passenger jet would be interested learning how easily "this could happen to me / us ... "
That answer is important to pilots, but perhaps not to bean counters and civil damges chasing attorneys.