I am afraid for all those arguing otherwise and suggesting that perceived acceleration is a valuable tool in evaluating your situation that Clandestino is right. If you ignore your instruments you run into a dangerous game where you can misperceive with great ease. This has been proved again and again and it can even vary within an individual depending on their physical and mental state. The only way to ensure safe flying is reference to your instruments.
With reference to those arguing that the displays were somehow confusing, this is rather a training/human problem. You work with your equipment as it is not as you would like it to be and if you enter a new cockpit environment you take time to lean the differences. These gentlemen were familiar with the cockpit environment though and as such should have responded appropriately. The reason they didn't is due to human psychology not machine failure.