HazelNuts39
Use of the word "Level" is misleading, for it implies that she lingered at level. She did not, it was fleeting, and since the trajectory was ballistic, ("momentum", per BEA), she had no level component at any time, not even a second. To remain level whilst moving implies lift, she had none, she was above the Lift ceiling. Her controls had no purchase, her engines were above propulsive ceiling, and so on.
BEA say she fell at the same Pitch she carried to and through the peak of climb.
Certainly, her AoA increased, and drag, to it's limit (terminus).
"Yes, the nose-down inputs were too small and too brief to change the position of the THS."
This is puzzling, and not what I expect. What is the lag between actuation of ND elevators and screw jack actuation? It would seem the design would actuate the HS straightaway, else the elevators could lead by sufficient time to over stress?