Hi,
HazelNuts39
Yes, and they don't understand how that is possible, so either the ADI or the altimeter/variometer must be wrong. The ADI shows an attitude that they associate with 'climb' ("I'm in TOGA, am I not?"). O.T.O.H, if the airplane is descending at a terrible rate, then the speed must be 'terrific'. The possibility that the airplane might be stalled never enters their mind.
From the CVR extract BEA report N°3 .. the first calls about altitude are :
2 h 13 min 32 PF call out level one hundred
2 h 13 min 36 PF call out Nine thousand feet
And the last (astonishing) call out from the PF is at 4000 feet
2 h 14 min 05 PF Well we need to we are at four thousand feet