Point; take off flaps are like 5 degrees, landing flaps are more like 30 degrees, simplified description of what are complex systems on an airliner but the general idea.
I know there's speculation about the flaps not being at TO (take off) position, but that answer will have to wait until the FDR (flt data recorder) has been downloaded.
Boeings use what's called Fowler flaps. They're a type of flap that not only extend down, but also move aft at the same time. This increases wing area for TO & landings. The first flap position on most Boeings is 5°... which is normally for take offs and not landings. Here's what happens at 5°....
The outboard leading edge slats will extend (on some models ALL leading edge devices will extend). At the same time, the trailing edge flaps will move aft and down... but mostly just aft. There will be very little down movement to 'em.
I can tell you from many yrs working Boeings that if you were standing 100yds behind the jet when they extended to 5°, you literally couldn't tell. 90% of that extension is aft. The 5° down part of it is almost imperceptible. Think about it... 5° of
anything is almost nothing.... and not near enough to be visible on grainy videos.
And as was pointed out in the video above, these jets have a "Config Warning" system. It's not a "Caution"... it's a
Warning... it's loud, it's obnoxious... it's impossible to ignore!! It's also redundant... there's 2 of 'em and they compare themselves to each other. That system was incorporated into the 727-200 back in the 80's after a few fatal accidents for exactly this reason, pilots taking off without the flaps set to the TO position.
No... it's still not
impossible to take off without the flaps properly configured... but it's
almost impossible. I'm of the opinion they're barking up the wrong tree looking at the flaps as a cause.