That is excellent Photofly! You've quantified a maneuver which looked bad, as being bad by numbers we recognize.
A concept to remember is that from a stable descent (which this was), it's necessary to add energy to the flight, to arrest the descent (accelerate up from the descending flight path). To have energy to add, you have to have it either as thrust available (not in this case apparently), or a reserve of airspeed, which you may spend to flare. This pilot created a very steep descent path, so much more energy would have been required to flare. And... add to that, that as one pulls to accelerate up from the steep descent path, you might be actually pulling a small amount of G. When you pull G, your stall speed increases, so if you were just about to stall, now you just did, and accelerating up is no longer possible. This video shows that happening.
I opine that it's possible during this event, the pilot probably
did pull to flare at the last moment (who of us wouldn't!), and nothing happened, it just kept going down.
Transport Canada once asked me to demonstrate compliance with engine failures from 50 feet in a modified Grand Caravan at gross weight, at a specified speed slower than the 87 knots Cessna states for climb speed after becoming airborne. That was the most un nerving testing I've ever done. I'd get to the point of flaring, and there was nothing left when I pulled. I did not slam the plane on, but I admit to adding a whole bunch of power to cushion the touchdown each time. TC and I agreed with the test outcome, and a fair compromise was made for the approval, but right then and there, I learned why we should carry a reserve of speed anywhere near the surface. This video, and Photofly's super analysis show us why too!
I regularly wait with anticipation for WDDT (What Does DAR Think) to happen!
Thanks for the vote of confidence, and I still have lots to learn too! I just know the things I have learned so far, and try to pass them along in the interest of safety. Recently, when I hear of accidents, I ask myself what I could have contributed back to our industry which might have prevented that event. So, I'll speak up.....