Indeed, following my notion in 313 that both pilots might have been looking at a ridge on their side* - comfortable with the fact they were passing a solid mountain - dash8flyer presented in post 316, fine graphics of a scenario that I find the most plausible.
My recent post is really just an amplification of what I feel is still the most probable series of events, but with the image of that vertical sheet of cloud brought to the fore, allowing the logic that both pilots may have assumed the ridge on their right was the only one.
* Above, in terms of both pilots seeing a ridge on their side only, I had in mind them still having to look down slightly during the first part of the valley. Neither pilot would have been able to see the ridge on the opposite side until that terrible moment when ridge heights were visible from both sides.
Under the penalty of getting one of those Edit thingies, I must add that of course the above scenarios do imply a fairly serious limit to forward visibility.
.
Last edited by Loose rivets; 26th May 2012 at 17:01.