AFAIK the accuracy of this [NYT] report has not been called into question by anybody
Look at the clock! It is just coming up to 6am in Europe...
Being one of the few who followed the thread from start, among the thousand posts so far there is ONE by Capt Kremin which deserves attention and closer scrutiny:
http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/5...ml#post8916098
If the analysis presented is correct (and I'm not qualified to judge) it strongly implies that the A/C was under pilot control during the descent.