If the flight was coming in at 05.40 on a clear, virtually nil wind Summer's morning - is this is in daylight?
If so, apart from the FO who is acknowledged as the pilot at the time, who else had a look outside?
see this again from the official report mentioned in the posting above and as faxed by Boeing to all Boeing aircraft operators yesterday ........
"The captain was hired by FedEx on August 6, 1992. He reported approximately 14,000 flight hours, of which 860 were as Pilot in Command on 727s. The first officer was hired on October 29, 1997. Records indicate he had 2,640 total flight hours, of which 525 were in the 727. The flight engineer was hired on September 3, 2001. He reported approximately 2,600 total flying hours, including 345 in the 727."