It has been suggested on one or more of these threads that the corrective action in the event of airspeed failure above FL 100 is: TOGA and 5 degrees pitch.
(see also:
Air France Crash Investigator Examines Airbus Emergency Drill - Businessweek
"... The Airbus maneuver instructs pilots to climb at a five- degree pitch attitude -- the aircraft’s angle above horizontal -- when airspeed readings become unreliable anywhere above 10,000 feet (3,048 meters). Only later in the procedure are they told to check whether it’s safe to level off ..."
Can anyone confirm this ?
If accurate, I suggest that the following might have been the
initial reaction in the accident sequence:
1. following AP/AT disconnect, the PF took control (makes sense)
2. eleven seconds later, the PNF says: "so, we’ve lost the speeds" then "alternate law ..." (again makes sense)
3. if the procedure detailed above is correct (and I emphasize that I do not know if it is accurate) then would it not make sense for the PF to assume he was experiencing an airspeed failure and thus, following procedures - TOGA and 5 degrees pitch ?
This might explain why the PF decided to climb, also perhaps thinking that he still had stall protection.
Hopefully, the full data/CVR release will shed more light.