Part 2/9:
On that fateful night, the Boeing 737-800 arrived at Beirut International Airport after departing from the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. The pilots, an experienced captain and a relatively new first officer, were eager to conclude their duty, have a meal, and retire for the night. Both had tracked considerable flight hours, with the captain having 10,200 hours and the first officer, 673 hours.
The captain, despite being relatively inexperienced on the 737, had a clean training record and was reputed to be affable and healthy. The first officer, only 23 years old, had been recognized as a strong cadet during his training, further contributing to the crew's apparent competence.