I think there are important parallels, Confiture.
In both accidents, the aircraft had 'settled in', and the pilots, for different reasons, were unable to modify the flight path. Asseline had established a short final, and Pitch had the appearance of being on some mechanized value, sinking slowly as if to land, the engines did not change attitude, even though they had spooled up before the trees. Dozy is right, had the airplane Stalled, they likely all would have died.....
But it did not, it sank slowly as if to settle on the runway, having done the "retard" thing. Unfortunatley, there were trees on the 'runway'.
Had Airbus programmed their peachy "Escape" from CFIT at that point?
Question? Is TOGA escape available at the cruise levels? In ALTERNATE LAW?
Because at one point, 447 had flight parameters of a 330 on short final.
Unfortunately, she was above 38000 feet at the time, and ballistic.