Ross M - I respectfully disagree. The point I was making was that even with virtually no flying experience I was still scanning the speed. Rest assured if I had 290 people behind me I would be glued to that ASI! That is because the basic scan (especially speed) is fundamental to any sort of flying.
What these "pilots" were doing was akin to driving down the Motorway at 100mph with your eyes closeed. It is absolutely unfathomable how they managed to get themselves into this position. For at least 30 seconds before the crash they were below VREF. This isn't CFIT at night, landing short in fog or even touching down halfway along the runway and going off the end. I don't think I have ever seen an accident which should have been more avoidable. Words fail me!