Maintaining autopilot & autothrust engagement at this point in the approach isn't that unusual - the disconnect and manual landing usually occurs somewhere between 600 and 400ft AAE, (ed., for non-pilots, to be clear, this would NOT have been an autoland). Autoflight use can be a significant aid on a challenging approach and/or when one is fatigued. Whether this is the case here is for the Human Factors people to determine.
What needs to be understood is the state of the FCU (Flight Control Unit) controls, particularly what descent mode was used - FPA, V/S or VNAV, and that hopefully will be in the data. The fact that the EGPWS sounded a Sink Rate warning may very well indicate the use of selected vs. programmed descent modes, in particular whether the mode was "FPA" or "V/S"...
Last edited by PJ2; 17th Aug 2013 at 22:35.
Reason: add statement re 'not and autoland'