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All airplanes more complex than a C172 (single engine, 4 passenger) have constant speed props. It is like an automatic transmission in that it adjusts to the load placed on it.

An airplane does not decend unless power is reduced, the trim is changed, or it goes into a fairly steep turn. An airplane does not decend without the pilot knowing about it except when they are disoriented. (banking steeply and starting a spiral)

I don't think that was a commercial airplane. Normally that kind of airplane is private or corporate.

Anyway it was the senator's son who was flying. From the comments about his log book, he did not fly professionally.

Private pilots flying twins have the worst record because they do not practice enough and aren't flying enough to stay sharp.

Thanks for the lecture on props and descending, but I knew that already! My point was that when he started to lose it, and the A/S began to go up (he hit at 300+), he wouldn't notice it as easily with a constant-speed prop.

One of the other reasons private twins have such a bad safety record is the engine-out problem and the danger of a spin. Many pilots believe that an engine-out in a single is less dangerous than in a twin. It's counter-intuitive, of course, but at least you don't have to fight the yaw in a single. Of course, at night it's a different matter......