Nighttime Sightings - The Black Vault Case Files

The Vault Files: 1986 Alaska JAL Flight 1628

John Greenewald — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 17:12:56 +0000

Note: The re-creation imagery used in this article to represent details of the case are visual interpretations created from Captain Terauchi’s sketches, crew testimony, and FAA documentation. While every effort was made to keep them as accurate and faithful as possible, certain details of the encounter – such as the precise appearance and scale of the objects – remain based on varying accounts. These visuals are intended to illustrate the incident, not to serve as exact photographic records. Imagery of government documents are legitimate and verified, and are not reproductions or mockups.

Executive Summary
Background
FOIA History and Rediscovery of the Records
Timeline of Events
Primary Documentation
Witness Accounts
Media and Public Coverage
Official Government Response
Skeptical and Debunking Arguments
Unresolved Questions
Impact and Legacy
Conclusion
Source List

Executive Summary

Captain Kenju Terauchi

Japan Air Lines (JAL) Flight 1628 – a Boeing 747 cargo freighter – was involved in one of the most noteworthy UFO encounters on record. On the evening of November 17, 1986, while flying over remote Alaska, the crew observed multiple unidentified objects with bright flashing lights maneuvering around their aircraft. The encounter lasted nearly 50 minutes and was tracked intermittently on both the plane’s onboard radar and by FAA air traffic control on the ground[1]. At one point the veteran captain, Kenju Terauchi, reported a huge unknown craft “twice the size of an aircraft carrier” pacing his 747[2]. Anchorage air traffic controllers scrambled to make sense of the situation, even enlisting a U.S. Air Force radar station and another commercial flight to help. Despite extensive official documentation – including FAA radar data analysis, recorded communications, and detailed crew interviews – no conventional explanation for the objects was confirmed. The incident became international news in early 1987 after the FAA initially acknowledged the encounter. In the years since, it has been scrutinized by investigators and skeptics alike. FAA records, pilot testimonies, and radar evidence make the JAL 1628 case uniquely well-documented, though its true nature remains unresolved. This Vault File assembles the primary evidence and analyses, presenting a factual account of the encounter and examining the official response, media coverage, skeptical explanations, and the enduring questions surrounding this famous UFO incident.

Background

JAL Flight 1628 was a scheduled cargo flight operated by Japan Air Lines, flying a Boeing 747-200F freighter from Paris to Tokyo with a stopover in Anchorage, Alaska. On November 17, 1986, the aircraft was en route from Reykjavík, Iceland to Anchorage, cruising at an altitude of 35,000 feet (Flight Level 350) over the interior of Alaska in the late afternoon local time[3]. The three crew members on board were Captain Kenju Terauchi (age 47, an ex-fighter pilot with 29 years of flying experience[4]), First Officer Takanori Tamefuji, and Flight Engineer Yoshio Tsukuba. The cargo jet was carrying a load of French wine (Beaujolais) bound for Tokyo. The flight was passing through crisp, darkening skies – with a red-orange glow from the setting sun on one horizon and a full moon rising on the other[5] – when the crew’s attention was drawn to some unusual lights in their vicinity.

At approximately 5:15–5:19 PM Alaska Standard Time, northeast of Fairbanks near Fort Yukon, Captain Terauchi first noticed odd lights to his left (port side). There were no other known aircraft in that remote sector, and Flight 1628 was in controlled airspace under the monitoring of FAA Anchorage Center. Moments later, what began as distant lights would escalate into a close encounter that the crew struggled to comprehend.

FOIA History and Rediscovery of the Records

For years, the FAA maintained that the records of the JAL Flight 1628 incident had been destroyed.

In May 2001, The Black Vault filed a FOIA request with the FAA for UFO-related records in Alaska between 1981 and 1988, specifically including JAL 1628. The FAA responded that approximately 107 pages existed but classified the requester as “commercial,” which meant significant fees would be charged for search, review, and duplication. This was an erroneous classification, as The Black Vault has always been a “non-commercial” requester, and actually fits in as a “media” status, which nearly every agency has accepted in the past. During a June 5, 2001, phone call, FAA employee Jean Mahoney stated that the records could be released free of charge if the request was withdrawn from FOIA.

However, a follow-up letter dated June 27, 2001, declared that the withdrawal had not been received, the request was considered canceled, and that “all documents pertaining to this UFO sighting will be destroyed in 30 days from the date of this letter.” By the time that letter was reviewed by The Black Vault, the 30-day deadline had already expired. Although a letter was sent withdrawing the request, as requested, it was never received, at least, according to the FAA.

A new FOIA request also filed in 2009 by The Black Vault produced the same result: the FAA again stated that the records had been destroyed.

Yet, seventeen years after the initial request, The Black Vault located the records in the National Archives. They were preserved in Record Group 237 (Records of the Federal Aviation Administration), under local identifier 1203 and archival identifier 733667. And, instead of 107 pages, the file contained more than 1,500 pages of material, including radar data, transcripts, photographs, interviews, and internal FAA communications.

It remains unclear whether the FAA mistakenly believed the files had been destroyed or whether the transfer to the Archives was poorly documented. What is certain is that the records survived, and their rediscovery provided the public with a far more complete case file than was previously available. Today, the JAL 1628 incident is one of the most extensively documented UFO encounters in FAA history, largely because of this recovery.

FOIA Document Archive Listing

The following records were scanned at a very high resolution size for clarity.

(Download the entire set below as a .zip file: jal1628.zip [656.7MB])

Statement of course for records (NTIS) and Content of Package [8 Pages, 5.8MB]

FAA Form 8020-5, Aircraft Incident Record, Brief Summary Statement [3 Pages, 3MB]

Klass and Haines inquires and responses [40 Pages, 35.4MB]

FAA Form 3112, Inspection and Surveillance Record, Inspector Jack Wright [5 Pages, 4.2MB]

FAA form 1600-32-1 Notes of interviews with 3 crew members by Ron Mickle and James Derry [5 Pages, 6.13MB]

Written Statement by Capt. Terauchi [In Japanese] [18 Pages, 17.2MB]

Written Statement by Capt. Terauchi [English translation by Sakoyo Mimoto] [13 Pages, 11MB]

Transcript: Interview with Capt. Terauchi by Dick Gordon, 1/2/87 [19 Pages, 11MB]

Transcript of interview with First Officer Tamefugi by Peter Beckner 1/5/87 [23 Pages, 14.7MB]

Transcript of interview with Flight Engineer Tsukuba by Pete Beckner 1/15/87 [6 Pages, 4.1MB]

Modified Package for FAA Managers [121 Pages, 94.5MB]

Chronology of Events [4 Pages, 2.9MB]

Flight Path Chart [17 Pages, 17MB]

Selected portions of voice transcripts of JAL 1628 and controllers [9 Pages, 7.1MB]

Transcript of Communications between air traffic control and JAL 1628 [24 Pages, 13.6MB]

FAA form 7230-4 Daily record of Facility Operations, Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center [3 Pages, 5.5MB]

FAA form 7230-10 Position logs [2 Pages, 2.3MB]

Personnel Statement (Air Traffic Control Specialists) [16 Pages, 11.9MB]

Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center computer printout of continuous data recordings (RADAR tracking) [178 Pages, 7.21MB]

Color photos of simulated radar data [18 Pages, 25.8MB]

Color photos of simulated radar data with captions [5 Pages, 5.25MB]

Black and white photos of simulated radar data [13 Pages, 7.1MB]

Explanation of split beacon target [4 Pages, 3.7MB]

News releases, FAA public affairs [9 Pages, 7.8MB]

Record of Communication with FAA administrator, and with U.S. Air Force [6 Pages, 4.5MB]

Cassette tapes of interviews (Audio not digitized) [4 Pages, 4.76MB]

ATC transcripts; flight path chart; personnel statements [13 Pages, 14.3MB]

ATC Transcript; interview with crew; personnel statement; news release [8 Pages, 6.3MB]

News media contacts to FAA [43 Pages, 46.3MB]

News clippings [50 Pages, 4.61MB]

Miscellaneous [17 Pages, 15.8MB]

Letters about UFO (folder 1) [88 Pages, 38.3MB]

Letters about UFO (folder 2) [59 Pages, 27MB]

Letters about UFO (folder 3) [81 Pages, 31.1MB]

Letters about UFO (folder 4) [136 Pages, 81.6MB]

Letters about UFO (folder 5) [86 Pages, 39.6MB]

Letters about UFO (folder 6 and 7) [147 Pages, 52.8MB]

Letters about UFO (folder 8 and 9) [144 Pages, 64.9MB]

Letters about UFO (folder 10) [96 Pages, 35.6MB]

Original Letters Stating Records Destroyed

FAA Letters of Correspondence along with ASIAS report [6 Pages, 1.56MB]

What we know

Three‑person JAL cargo crew reported multiple lights and a large dark object during cruise over Alaska.
FAA preserved extensive material: ATC audio/transcripts, controller statements, facility logs, radar printouts, internal memos.
Anchorage/Elmendorf noted intermittent primary‑only radar returns during parts of the event window.
Vectors, altitude changes, and a 360° turn were executed; another airline flight and a USAF tanker were vectored for possible visual confirmation.
Captain Terauchi submitted written statements and sketches; post‑flight interviews of all three crew were recorded.
Records later surfaced at the National Archives (RG 237, local ID 1203; series 733667)—~1,500+ pages now accessible.

What we don’t know

The identity, origin, and propulsion of the objects described by the crew.
Whether radar returns indicate a discrete second target or artifacts (e.g., split‑beacon/processing effects).
Why vectored aircraft (United flight; USAF tanker) did not obtain independent visual confirmation.
Exact geometry, scale, and surface features of the large “Saturn/walnut‑shaped” object beyond sketches and narrative description.
Whether all pertinent raw data were archived or still exist beyond the released record set.

Timeline of Events

All times below are approximate Alaska Standard Time (UTC−9) on November 17, 1986. This timeline is reconstructed from FAA radar logs, radio transcripts, and crew statements[6][7]:

5:19 PM: The JAL 1628 crew contacts Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) to inquire if there is any traffic at their altitude (FL350). The controller replies that no other aircraft are in the area, but at that same moment Captain Terauchi reports seeing “traffic” with bright lights about 1 mile in front of his 747, at the same altitude[8]. When asked for identifying markings, the pilot says they can only see white and yellow strobe lights on the unknown craft[8]. (Anchorage radar shows no transponder returns there.)

5:25 PM: The unidentified object’s lights now also register on JAL 1628’s onboard weather radar, prompting alarm. The crew reports the object at their 11 o’clock position, roughly 7–8 nautical miles ahead[9]. Anchorage Center still sees nothing on primary radar, so the FAA controller calls the Elmendorf Air Force Base Regional Operations Control Center (ROCC) and asks if they have any radar contact near JAL 1628’s position[9].
5:26 PM: Controllers at Elmendorf ROCC respond that their radar is picking up a “primary” target (uncorrelated echo with no transponder) in JAL 1628’s 10 o’clock position about 8 miles away[10]. In other words, military radar briefly detects something near the 747. Seconds later, the ROCC calls back to report the unknown target has disappeared from their scope[11].

5:31 PM: Captain Terauchi now gets a closer look at the object. He later describes the UFO’s size as enormous – “a very big one… two times bigger than an aircraft carrier”[2] when he glimpses its silhouette against the evening sky. At this point, concerned by the proximity of the unknown craft, Anchorage Center tells JAL 1628 it can take any evasive action needed. The pilot is promptly cleared to deviate from his assigned route[12] for safety.
5:32 PM: JAL 1628 requests permission to descend from 35,000 feet to 31,000 feet, which Anchorage approves. As the 747 begins dropping altitude, the controller asks if the UFO is descending too. The pilot replies that the object is indeed descending “in formation” with them, maintaining the same distance and relative altitude separation throughout the maneuver[13].
5:35 PM: The crew, growing nervous, asks for a heading change to get away from the intruder. Anchorage Center approves a turn to heading 210 (southwest). By now the flight is in the vicinity of Fairbanks. Center also queries FAA Fairbanks Approach control to see if they have any radar contact on the unknown. Fairbanks controllers report seeing nothing on their radar scope aside from JAL 1628’s blip[14].
5:36 PM: To further evaluate the situation, Anchorage instructs JAL 1628 to make a 360-degree turn. The idea is to see if the unknown object will continue to follow the Boeing 747 through a full circle or overshoot. Captain Terauchi executes a standard-rate full turn. During this turn, the object remains pinned at the 747’s left (port) side the entire time[15] – confirming it is not a stationary light or planet but actively maneuvering along with the aircraft. (Terauchi later noted that the UFO “maintained its position on the port side during the turn”[15].)

5:38 PM: Elmendorf ROCC radios back something startling – their radar now shows “a flight of two” targets in the vicinity of JAL 1628[16]. In other words, at this moment the military radar is briefly seeing two objects together (presumably one is JAL 1628 and one is an unknown). ROCC adds that one of the targets is a primary-only return (no transponder). This multi-target radar contact is fleeting; ROCC soon loses the unknown again. (Later, the Air Force would publicly characterize these radar returns as spurious “clutter.”)
5:39 PM: The JAL crew reports that they have lost visual contact with the object. For the first time since the encounter began, the UFO’s lights are no longer in sight.
5:42 PM: ROCC tells the FAA controller that their radar briefly picked up a primary target that “dropped back and to the right” of JAL 1628, and then disappeared[17]. After 5:42 PM, Elmendorf’s radar does not see the unknown again.
5:44 PM: Captain Terauchi announces that the UFO has reappeared in view – now off the 747’s left side (around the 9 o’clock position). It seems to be keeping pace alongside them once more.
5:45 PM: Anchorage Center, responding to the pilot’s report that the object is still present, decides to seek confirmation from another aircraft. The controller contacts a nearby United Airlines passenger flight (UA Flight 69) northbound from Anchorage to Fairbanks, which is coming toward JAL 1628’s location on an opposite course. Anchorage asks the United crew if they would deviate slightly and approach within a few miles of JAL 1628 to help observe. The United pilots agree, and they are given vectors that will bring them closer to JAL 1628’s flight path[18]. (At the same time, a USAF KC-135 tanker aircraft flying in the general area is also alerted to look for anything unusual.)

5:50 PM: As the United Airlines jet draws nearer, JAL 1628’s crew reports the object’s position is now behind them, at their 7 o’clock (aft-left) about 7–8 miles away[19]. Anchorage Center asks Captain Terauchi to flash his aircraft’s landing lights a few times, so that the United flight can visually identify the JAL 747 and perhaps spot the trailing object.
5:51 PM: The United Airlines Flight 69 crew reports visual contact with JAL 1628 (they can see the JAL 747 against the darkening sky), but they do not see any other object or traffic near it[20]. Similarly, the USAF tanker crew, upon flying past the area, reports nothing unusual in the vicinity besides the JAL cargo plane. Despite the JAL pilots still sensing something behind them, no one else can confirm the unidentified object by eye.
5:53 PM: JAL 1628 advises that the UFO’s lights have vanished. At this point – roughly 50 minutes after the initial sighting – the strange encounter finally seems to have ended[20]. JAL 1628 continues on without further incident as it begins its descent toward Anchorage.
~6:20 PM: JAL Flight 1628 lands safely at Anchorage International Airport. Upon arrival, the shaken crew is met by FAA personnel for an immediate debrief. The three men – Captain Terauchi, First Officer Tamefuji, and Flight Engineer Tsukuba – are each interviewed separately by FAA investigators on the night of the incident. They describe in detail what they saw and experienced, providing written statements and even sketches of the UFO. (Captain Terauchi’s drawing showed a huge Saturn-shaped craft with a bulging center and a ring-like rim – essentially a “mothership” that he inferred was behind the smaller lighted craft.) The crew is found to be perfectly sober, healthy, and professional by the investigators[21]. That same night, FAA officials quietly launch an inquiry into what exactly happened over Alaska’s skies.

(Note: The above chronology is based on an official FAA summary memo[6][22] corroborated by pilot and controller reports. Times are approximate; in FAA records the incident is logged between 0219–0253 UTC on Nov 18, 1986, corresponding to 5:19–5:53 PM AST Nov 17.)

Primary Documentation

The JAL 1628 incident generated a substantial body of official documentation. In early 1987, the FAA compiled all relevant records into a case file, much of which was later released under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)[23]. These primary sources include:

FAA Incident Reports and Memos: Immediately after the event, FAA personnel in the Alaskan Region documented the occurrence. An FAA Aircraft Incident Report (Form 8020-5) was filed, summarizing Flight 1628’s encounter as an “unidentified traffic” incident. Additionally, an internal “Alert Notice” memo was circulated by Alaskan regional director Franklin L. Cunningham (AAL-1) in November 1986, describing the sighting and the actions taken. This one-page summary provides a concise overview: the JAL crew reported “lighted air traffic, in close proximity,” with no known traffic on radar, though intermittent primary radar targets were noted[24]. It states the sighting continued for over 350 miles until the object departed to the east, and that the crew was considered “professional, rational” upon interview[25][26]. The memo also notes that the US Air Force at Elmendorf AFB had tracked occasional primary returns (which the Air Force later told the media were “clutter”)[27]. A follow-up memo in February 1987 routed to FAA headquarters summarized the case and media inquiries. These internal memos set the stage for FAA leadership’s awareness of the event.
ATC Logs and Radar Data Analysis: Anchorage Center preserved the radar track data from Flight 1628’s journey and conducted a detailed review. A chronological “Summary of Air Traffic Control communications” was written by Quentin J. Gates (Air Traffic Manager at Anchorage ARTCC) on December 18, 1986[6]. This official timeline lists each key event from 5:19 to 5:53 PM (0219–0253 UTC), confirming for instance the moments when the pilot reported the UFO’s position, when military radar picked up a “primary target,” and when other planes were enlisted to help[28][22]. The summary concludes that a subsequent review of Anchorage’s radar “failed to confirm any targets in close proximity to JAL 1628.”[29] In addition, over 150 pages of raw radar printout data were collected (to document the blips seen on the scopes). Computer plots of the radar returns were later generated for analysis. Anchorage Center’s daily operation log and controller shift logs were also archived, showing how controllers reacted in real time. The radar evidence, while intriguing in that moments of an unknown target were recorded, was ultimately inconclusive – it did not provide a consistent track for the UFO beyond the primary returns that could be interpreted as anomalies.
Pilot and Crew Interviews: Upon landing, the crew was interviewed on November 17, 1986 by FAA security and flight standards officials (including Security Agent Ronald E. Mickle and Security Manager James Derry). Written affidavits and interview notes document the crew’s first-hand descriptions. According to Agent Mickle’s report, Captain Terauchi stated that just after passing a navigational waypoint (near the Arctic Circle), they observed “strange lights ahead of their 747”[30]. These lights moved erratically: after a couple of minutes they shifted position but stayed in front of the aircraft for about 10 minutes, then moved to the left side[31]. The crew emphasized they saw only the lights and “at no time could they see any craft” structure[32]. However, the plane’s weather radar did detect an object about 7 miles ahead when the lights were visible[33]. The lights were described as yellow, amber, and green in color – notably, no red light was observed, which is unusual since aviation lights generally include red. The lights appeared in “two separate sets” that changed position relative to each other[34], suggesting two objects acting in tandem. The crew recounted how the lights reacted to the 747’s movements – pacing them through turns and altitude changes. Both Agent Mickle and Agent Derry found the crew to be credible and professional in demeanor. Their reports noted that the crew was cooperative, showed no sign of impairment or hysteria, and even maintained a sense of humor. (In fact, Captain Terauchi jokingly mused during the interview whether the UFO occupants might be interested in their cargo of French wine – a remark he later repeated to the press[35].) One addendum in the FAA file, gleaned via a confidential source at JAL, mentioned that this was not Captain Terauchi’s first UFO sighting – he had apparently reported seeing unusual aerial phenomena on at least two prior occasions[36]. This fact, kept in mind by investigators, would later be seized upon by skeptics (labeling Terauchi a “UFO repeater”).
Captain Terauchi’s Written Statement: A few weeks after the incident, as part of the investigation, Captain Terauchi submitted a detailed written report (with sketches) to the FAA, describing the encounter in his own words. In this report (written in Japanese and translated to English), Terauchi elaborated on the appearance and behavior of the UFOs. He described the largest craft – which he termed the “mothership” – as deliberately staying in darkness: it “positioned itself in the darkest easterly side of the sky” so that it would not be easily seen[37]. He wrote that when his flight was in front of the sunset, the UFO stayed in the dark background, possibly “not wanting to be seen.” Terauchi also expressed a personal hope that “we humans will meet them in the near future”[38], indicating he felt the objects might be some form of extraterrestrial craft. (His openness to the UFO’s extraordinary nature was clear – in interviews he even used words like “spaceship” and “mothership” to describe it[39].) In a later addendum dated January 11, 1987, Terauchi reported another sighting of similar lights in roughly the same area while flying from Paris to Anchorage – an event which, after military radar failed to corroborate it, was tentatively explained as distant city lights refracted through ice crystals[40][41]. Terauchi’s written account, combined with the earlier interviews, provides a vivid personal narrative to accompany the objective data.

In summary, the primary documentation for the JAL 1628 case is unusually rich. Few other UFO incidents have such a convergence of pilot testimony, radar records, audio transcripts, and official investigative reports. These sources allow a detailed reconstruction and analysis of the incident from multiple angles – even if they ultimately stopped short of identifying the phenomenon encountered.

Witness Accounts

Captain Terauchi’s sketch of the enormous “mothership” UFO that he and his crew reported, showing a walnut or Saturn-shaped craft roughly two times the length of an aircraft carrier. He drew this from memory as part of his FAA report. The Japanese annotations describe the object’s silhouette and the placement of its lights.

The first-hand accounts of the crew of JAL Flight 1628 are both fascinating and baffling. All three men were experienced airmen with military backgrounds and thousands of flight hours, not prone to exaggeration.

What they described during and after the flight was nothing short of astounding:

Initial Encounter – Small “Flying Lights”: The encounter began with two small UFOs that approached the 747. Terauchi and his crew first noticed two amber-colored lights off to the left, which suddenly rose from below and closed in to fly alongside their aircraft[42]. These objects had a peculiar array of lights. Terauchi described seeing what looked like two rectangular clusters of glowing nozzles or “thrusters,” though the craft’s bodies were obscured by darkness[43]. The pair of UFOs darted around the jumbo jet with high agility, at times demonstrating instantaneous acceleration. According to the crew, the objects would “shoot off lights” and move erratically, as if under intelligent control[44].At one point, the two objects abruptly positioned themselves directly in front of the 747, perhaps only a few hundred feet ahead of the nose. The glare was so intense that the 747’s cockpit “was lit up” brightly, and Captain Terauchi could feel heat on his face from the objects’ glow[45][46]. The lights were described as a “Christmas tree” of flashing white, orange, green, and amber colors[47]. Terauchi later emphasized that they were not stars or planets: “they were so luminous… blinking, blinking… moving in one close formation,” he said, stressing that these objects exhibited motion and characteristics unlike any distant celestial light[48]. During this phase, the crew got the impression the smaller craft might be “scouting” or inspecting their airplane – as Terauchi put it, the two UFOs seemed to be flying in “close formation” around the 747, almost playfully[48].
Appearance of the “Mothership”: After some minutes of this, the two smaller objects departed (or suddenly vanished from view). It was then that the crew became aware of a third object – a much larger presence – lurking in the darkness. Off to the left side of the aircraft, against the dim evening sky, Captain Terauchi saw a gigantic silhouette come into view[49]. Initially, it was just a large dark shape, but as his eyes adjusted he discerned a form he later described as resembling a “walnut” or shell-like shape. The object had a wide, flat bottom and top with a chubby, bulging center – very much like the planet Saturn with a thick ring around it. Terauchi estimated this craft was truly enormous, on the order of “two times bigger than an aircraft carrier” (aircraft carriers are ~300 meters long)[50]. In other words, the UFO was over half a kilometer in size. It had no visible wings or tail. The surface appeared dark gray or dull metallic, with some structural details: Terauchi noted panellike markings and what looked like turrets or circular indentations on the object’s surface[51]. Unlike the smaller brightly-lit UFOs, this large craft did not display an array of multicolor lights. The captain recalled only seeing some faint amber or pale white lights on it, possibly on each end of the “ring.” In his sketch, he marked the placement of these lights on the huge ellipse (see figure above). This “mothership” trailed JAL 1628 from a slight distance – mostly staying to the left of the 747, matching their speed and direction. Its sheer size and proximity are what prompted the crew to request course and altitude changes out of concern.
Crew’s Emotional State: Throughout the encounter, Captain Terauchi and his crew remained communicative with air traffic control, though they were certainly unnerved by what was happening. The cockpit voice recordings (per FAA transcripts) show Terauchi at times sounding excited but under control. He later admitted to feeling a mix of awe and worry. He was not panicked, but he was definitely concerned that these objects – especially the gigantic “mothership” – posed a mid-air collision risk if they got any closer[52]. The crew reported no loss of avionics or serious electromagnetic effects, though at one point they noted some mild static on the radio and a momentary loss of VHF communication clarity[53][54]. They did not report any feeling of turbulence or shock waves from the objects, just the visual phenomenon and the radar contacts. After landing, the FAA interviewers found the crew “normal, professional, rational” with no hint of hoax or hallucination[21]. All three firmly stood by their account of what they saw. In fact, both First Officer Tamefuji and Flight Engineer Tsukuba corroborated the presence of the two smaller UFOs with bright pulsating lights that maneuvered around their plane[55]. They also confirmed the outline of the larger object that lingered afterward (though Terauchi, as the pilot in command, had the clearest view and took the lead in descriptions).
Other Witnesses: Notably, during the incident the JAL crew were the only ones who saw the UFOs visually. When another aircraft (United 69) was vectored nearby to help, its pilots did not see any strange traffic, nor did a military KC-135 crew in the area. This lack of additional eyewitness confirmation could be due to timing and distance – by the time the United flight approached within a few miles, the unknown object was behind JAL 1628 and perhaps no longer illuminated or easily visible against the dark sky. The United crew only had JAL 1628 in sight “against a light background” of the twilight horizon and reported seeing no other lights or craft[19]. This frustrated Terauchi, who later commented that the other pilots “were looking at the wrong time and place” – essentially, he believed the UFO had either extinguished its lights or moved off by the time they came. On the ground, several FAA controllers in Anchorage did see unexplained blips on radar corresponding to JAL 1628’s position, which they found highly unusual. But visually, no one on the ground saw the objects (it was dark and the area was remote).

To this day, the crew of JAL 1628 maintains the validity of their experience. Captain Terauchi in later interviews reaffirmed that “the UFO was there” and that he “could not have been mistaken” about its extraordinary size and behavior[56][57]. His crew likewise stuck to their story (though they spoke less publicly). In summary, their accounts portray an encounter with structured, highly-active craft of unknown origin – something far beyond normal aircraft or natural phenomena. The vividness of their testimony is a big reason this case has become a modern legend in aviation circles.

Media and Public Coverage

The JAL Flight 1628 UFO encounter did not reach the public until several weeks after it happened. Initially, the incident was kept within official channels – the FAA and military – and the crew was not encouraged to speak publicly. However, in December 1986, word began to leak out. Captain Terauchi gave a brief account to two Japanese reporters from the Kyodo News Service in Japan, hoping to share his experience. This opened the floodgates. By the end of December 1986, news of an airline crew seeing a huge UFO over Alaska hit the wires.

On December 31, 1986 and January 1, 1987, major media outlets ran stories on the incident. The Los Angeles Times (via UPI) and other papers quoted Captain Terauchi describing an enormous object that dwarfed his 747, confirmed at least in part by FAA radar[58][59]. An article in the Washington Post on January 2, 1987 ran with the headline: “UFO Sighting Confirmed by FAA, Air Force Radar; Japanese Crew Tells of Encounter Over Alaska.”[60] The story went global, making headlines in Japan and around the world. Suddenly, JAL 1628’s encounter became one of the most famous UFO cases of the decade.

The FAA in Anchorage found itself besieged by media inquiries “mounting after inquiry by Kyodo News Service,” as one internal memo noted[61]. Paul Steucke, the FAA’s Alaska region public affairs officer, initially confirmed to reporters that something had been tracked on radar in the vicinity of the JAL flight[62]. He acknowledged that the crew reported a UFO and that the Air Force radar had picked up a target; essentially officials admitted the incident happened (which lent it credibility in the press). This was quite unusual – it’s one of the few times that a UFO encounter received tacit confirmation from government authorities in real-time.

Public interest in the story was intense. Alongside serious news coverage, the case spurred a frenzy of speculation. Late-night TV programs and newspapers debated: What did the Japanese pilots really see? With the Cold War still on, some wondered if it was a secret Soviet aircraft or military test. Others suspected an extraterrestrial spacecraft. The term “mothership” from Terauchi’s account made for tantalizing headlines.

Japan Air Lines’ corporate management took a conservative stance. They refrained from making any official comment supporting or denying the crew’s claims. Behind the scenes, however, JAL was not entirely pleased with the publicity. In fact, Captain Terauchi faced some professional fallout: after speaking to the press, JAL temporarily grounded him. According to later reports, in early 1987 Terauchi was removed from flight duty and assigned to an office job, ostensibly due to the unwanted attention his UFO report drew to the airline[63]. (Years later, JAL reinstated him as a pilot, quietly acknowledging that he hadn’t done anything wrong per se – he had followed procedures in reporting the UFO, but the airline preferred to downplay the incident.) This action by JAL underscores a common theme in aviation: pilots who report UFOs publicly can face career hindrances, not due to the veracity of their accounts but due to corporate and industry stigma around the topic.

The public reaction to the JAL 1628 story was mixed. Many were fascinated and took it as potential evidence of UFOs (the case was frequently cited by UFO organizations as a “best case” due to the radar confirmation). Skeptics and aviation experts, on the other hand, raised doubts (as discussed in the next section). Nonetheless, the incident stayed in the public eye for months. In March 1987, after the FAA completed its formal investigation, the agency held a press conference in Anchorage to share its findings. At that event, FAA officials revealed radar data plots and played audio recordings of the communications. The final FAA report, released later in 1987, stated that the investigators were “unable to support” the UFO hypothesis but also could not fully explain what the pilots saw[64][65]. This equivocal conclusion kept the mystery alive.

Over the years, Flight 1628’s encounter has been recounted in countless UFO books, documentaries, and articles. It was featured in a 1996 episode of Unsolved Mysteries and in 2006 on the History Channel special “Black Box UFOs,” which even played excerpts from the FAA control tower tapes[66]. The case remains one of the most widely publicized and discussed pilot-UFO encounters to date.

Official Government Response

Initially, the FAA appeared responsive to the JAL 1628 incident – even a bit caught off guard by the attention. As described, the FAA’s Alaskan regional office compiled an extensive data package on the case by early 1987 and shared it with headquarters and the public upon request. But officially, the U.S. government was careful in how it characterized the incident.

By January 1987, FAA spokesmen were already walking back the more sensational aspects. In Anchorage, public affairs officer Paul Steucke cautioned that the FAA was not in the UFO-investigation business. He famously said that the agency “does not have the resources or the Congressional mandate to investigate sightings of unidentified flying objects.”[67] He explained that the FAA’s role was simply to ensure aviation safety, and in this case they preserved the data but would not speculate on the UFO’s nature. In essence, the FAA treated the event as an air traffic incident, not as an extraterrestrial visitation to be researched.

The FAA’s official conclusion, delivered in a report in March 1987, was that no definite evidence of a second aircraft could be found. The unusual radar returns were tentatively explained as radar anomalies – specifically a possible “split radar image” of JAL 1628’s own transponder echo or other interference (clutter)[68][69]. In other words, the radar “double target” might have been a ghost caused by the radar signal itself. The FAA controllers involved weren’t entirely convinced by this, but that became the agency’s public line. The Air Force similarly stated that their radar contact was nothing substantial – just a momentary uncorrelated primary blip that could not be confirmed.

Crucially, the FAA did not accuse the crew of any wrongdoing. In fact, in internal memos they stressed the pilots were reliable and had really seen something. The final FAA report (summarized to the media) said the incident “could not be identified” as any known aircraft or phenomenon, but also that the agency had no evidence to prove the crew didn’t see something real[65]. Essentially it was labeled “unexplained” but with the caveat that no formal UFO investigation would follow.

Behind the scenes, there was at least one intriguing government meeting about the case. In late January 1987, FAA division chief John Callahan in Washington, DC, convened a briefing where the FAA’s radar data, voice tapes, and reports on JAL 1628 were shown to representatives from other agencies. According to Callahan (who spoke out years later), this meeting included personnel from the CIA and science advisors from the Reagan administration. The officials reviewed the case, and at the end a CIA representative supposedly instructed that “this event never happened” and that all participants were sworn to secrecy[70]. While Callahan’s dramatic account is unconfirmed by other sources, it suggests that parts of the U.S. government did take a keen interest in the incident – if only to understand whether it posed any defense or airspace concern. (Callahan kept copies of the data and later gave them to UFO researchers, ensuring the case files weren’t truly buried.)

Ultimately, the government’s official response to the JAL 1628 UFO encounter was to acknowledge that something occurred, provide the factual data, but offer no definitive explanation. The case was essentially filed away as an unsolved anomaly. Importantly, the FAA made no attempt to debunk the crew in an insulting way; they simply released the information and stated they couldn’t pursue it further. As Steucke explained: “We have not tried to determine what the crew of JAL Flight 1628 saw, based on scientific analysis of the stars, planets, etc.”[71] In other words, once it was clear no regulatory violation or safety hazard remained, the FAA closed the case.

For the record, in February 1987 the FAA did issue new guidance to its air traffic staff regarding UFO reports – essentially telling controllers how to log such incidents but also advising them not to speculate publicly. This was likely a reaction to the mini-frenzy JAL 1628 caused. The U.S. Air Force, for its part, had officially ceased investigating UFO sightings back in 1969 (with the end of Project Blue Book). So by 1986 the Air Force had no mandate to investigate civilian UFO reports. It treated the JAL radar contact as a one-off event with no national security significance (after determining it wasn’t a clandestine Soviet aircraft, presumably).

In summary, the official stance boiled down to: Crew saw lights; radar had blips; we don’t know what it was; we aren’t chasing it. The case highlights the cautious, often reluctant manner in which authorities handle UFO incidents – focusing on technical data and safety, but avoiding any suggestion of extraterrestrial conclusions.

Skeptical Explanations and Debunking Attempts

Almost as soon as the JAL 1628 story hit the news, skeptics and debunkers began analyzing the case to find a prosaic explanation. While the incident’s high strangeness attracted UFO believers, it also drew the attention of scientific skeptics who suspected there must be a mistake or misinterpretation at play.

Over the years, several key points have been raised to cast doubt on the “alien spacecraft” interpretation:

Radar “Ghost Targets”: One of the strongest skeptical arguments focused on the radar evidence. Philip J. Klass, a noted aerospace journalist and UFO skeptic, obtained the FAA’s data and consulted with radar experts. He reported that the intermittent second blip on radar could be explained by a known phenomenon called an “uncorrected primary and beacon target.” This occurs when a radar’s returns momentarily get out of sync with an aircraft’s transponder signal, creating a duplicate echo where there is in fact only one plane. According to an FAA radar specialist, Dennis R. Simantel, such uncorrected primary returns “are not uncommon” given the timing loops in radar equipment[72]. In other words, what appeared as a second object on the radar at times may well have been a false target – essentially a glitch overlapping JAL 1628’s own return. Indeed, a later FAA analysis determined that the radar track printouts did not show any unknown craft moving independently; they concluded the radar data “failed to confirm any other traffic” near the 747[29]. Skeptics cite this as evidence that nothing solid was actually there, and that the radar sightings were spurious artifacts rather than real objects.
Pilot Misperception – Planets and Stars: The visual aspect of the encounter has been the target of most skeptical scrutiny. The leading theory proposed is that Captain Terauchi and crew may have been misidentifying bright celestial bodies (planets or stars) and/or some unusual atmospheric lights. Klass was quick to point out that on the evening of November 17, 1986, the planet Jupiter was extremely bright in the southern sky – and in fact “precisely where the pilot reported that he saw the UFO.”[73] Jupiter would have been low on the horizon (about 10° above at that time[74]), but from the pilot’s perspective it might have appeared roughly level with the aircraft. Additionally, Mars was also in the vicinity (just below Jupiter), which Klass suggested could explain Terauchi’s initial report of two distant lights[75][76]. Could the “mothership” have simply been Jupiter? Klass argued that it’s not unheard of for even experienced pilots to mistake bright stars or planets for a UFO, especially when fatigued or if the object appears to “follow” their movements. In this case, the JAL crew did describe one light trailing them at a constant bearing – which is exactly how a bright celestial object would appear if the plane changes course (the light source would seem to maintain position). Supporting this, the FAA’s public summary noted a discrepancy: Terauchi told controllers during the flight that the object vanished when he completed the 360° turn, but in later interviews he claimed the object had stayed with him through the turn[77][78]. If the real stimulus had been Jupiter, initially he might not have seen it after turning (blocked by the plane’s fuselage or glare) but later, memory and assumption filled in that it “remained.” Skeptics also emphasize that the two other aircraft crews saw nothing – United 69 and the USAF tanker scanned the sky and reported no unusual lights[79]. This suggests that possibly the JAL crew’s eyes were playing tricks on them or that they were observing something not actually “out there.”
Terauchi’s UFO History and Psychology: Another point often raised is Captain Terauchi’s predisposition. During the investigation it came out that Terauchi had, on at least two occasions prior, reported seeing UFOs while flying[80][81]. Klass labeled him a “UFO repeater” – a pilot who has a track record of UFO sightings, which many UFO researchers themselves consider a red flag. The reasoning is that someone who strongly believes in or expects UFOs might interpret ambiguous sights as UFOs more readily than others. Terauchi was also quite outspoken about his belief that what he saw was extraterrestrial. He even mused about the “spaceships” hiding intentionally and hoped for a meeting with “them” one day[39][38]. To skeptics, this indicates a possible bias or anticipation on the captain’s part – essentially, that he wanted to see a UFO and thus, when confronted with perplexing lights, his imagination filled in details of a giant spaceship. Robert Sheaffer, another noted skeptic, argued that Terauchi was not an entirely objective observer; he may have embellished or misremembered details, and his crew (being junior) might have been influenced by his interpretation[82]. Indeed, when the three crew members were interviewed months later, there were inconsistencies in their recollections (e.g. how large the object was, exactly when it disappeared, etc.)[83]. While such inconsistencies are normal under stress, skeptics use them to suggest the event was less clear-cut than initially portrayed.
Alternative Explanations: Some have proposed that ice crystals or atmospheric optics could account for the lights. For instance, if there were thin clouds of ice crystals, bright stars or planets might appear to have halos or could even reflect lights from the ground. There was also the fact that the 747 was flying toward Fairbanks with a full moon rising behind – perhaps light conditions played tricks on depth perception. Another idea is that the crew could have seen the Aurora Borealis, which is common in Alaska. However, their descriptions of distinct craft with lights don’t match auroral displays well (and the FAA logs don’t note aurora that evening). Finally, could it have been some secret military aircraft or test? Skeptics usually doubt that, because nothing known (even experimental) would be as large as described or behave in that way in 1986. And if it were a military stealth or espionage craft, it seems unlikely it would put on such a light show around a civilian airliner.

In 1987, Philip Klass published his analysis in Skeptical Inquirer magazine, concluding that the case had a prosaic explanation. He leaned towards the Jupiter/stellar misidentification theory coupled with radar quirks and possibly the “psyche of a UFO-inclined pilot.” More recently, in 2020, researcher Brian Dunning reviewed all available evidence and came to a blunt conclusion: “There was nothing extraordinary or unusual on that evening… the Japan Air Lines Alaska UFO event turns out to have been just another unevidenced aerial anecdote.”[84]. In other words, without hard proof, it’s one more story of lights in the sky – impressive initially, but not supported by tangible corroboration.

It should be noted that not all experts agree with the hardcore skeptical view. Some radar analysts (including Dr. Bruce Maccabee) have argued that the radar data does show an unknown target at times, not explainable as mere split images[85]. And the JAL crew obviously refutes the idea they were misidentifying planets – they insist the objects moved with purposeful motion, in ways no planet would. Nonetheless, the skeptical explanations present a plausible scenario: a combination of optical illusion and instrumentation quirks leading to a false alarm. So far, no definitive refutation of those mundane explanations has been published in a scientific forum. The debate, therefore, continues: believers see a solid UFO encounter with corroborating data, skeptics see an over-hyped “nothing-burger” that was later debunked as misperception.

Unresolved Questions

Even decades later, the JAL 1628 incident leaves several key questions unanswered:

What exactly were the objects that the crew saw? If they were not conventional aircraft or astronomical objects, what could account for the structured shapes, maneuvering, and intense lights described?
Why were there no other visual confirmations? Despite the JAL pilots’ clear sighting, neither the nearby United Airlines crew nor the USAF crew saw the UFO. Was the phenomenon somehow only apparent to JAL 1628’s crew (and on radar) but invisible to others?
How could such a large object appear and disappear so suddenly? The “mothership” was reported to be enormous, yet it vanished from radar and view in an instant. If it was a physical craft, where did it go so quickly?
Did Captain Terauchi’s prior UFO experiences influence this encounter? Terauchi had reported UFOs before. Does this mean he was simply more attuned to noticing unusual things, or could it indicate a bias that colored his perception on this flight?
What do the radar anomalies truly represent? Were the radar contacts purely artifacts (split images/clutter), or did the radar momentarily capture a real second object? The truth of the radar data is central to validating or refuting the case.

These and other questions ensure that Flight 1628’s encounter remains a subject of lively discussion rather than a closed case. As of today, no single “prosaic” explanation has definitively accounted for all aspects of the incident – but neither is there concrete proof of an extraordinary craft. The JAL 1628 mystery thus embodies the classic “UFO enigma”: intriguing, well-documented, yet ultimately unresolved.

Impact and Legacy

The Japan Air Lines 1628 encounter has earned a prominent place in UFO lore and continues to be cited as one of the most compelling pilot-UFO sightings on record. In UFO research circles, it is often highlighted for its combination of eyewitness testimony and instrumented evidence. The case has been featured in numerous television documentaries, books, and articles. For example, it was profiled on Unsolved Mysteries and the History Channel’s “Black Box UFOs,” and it appears in many “Top UFO Cases” lists[86]. As journalist Jazz Shaw noted, “anyone with even a moderate interest in the UFO topic has likely heard of the incident,” which has become “the stuff of legends.”[87]

One reason for this enduring fame is that the incident forced authorities to grapple (albeit briefly) with the UFO question. The FAA’s handling of the case – collecting data, then ultimately declaring “we can’t explain it” – is frequently pointed to as an example of bureaucratic reluctance to engage with UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena). In later years, John Callahan’s dramatic claims of a CIA cover-up at the 1987 meeting added a layer of conspiracy intrigue, though the core data did end up public. The case is sometimes brought up in calls for more serious official study of UFOs impacting aviation.

The JAL 1628 encounter also had a cautionary legacy for pilots. Captain Terauchi’s temporary grounding by JAL sent a message that openly reporting a UFO could jeopardize one’s career[63]. This, among other cases, has been cited in discussions about removing the stigma for pilots to report unexplained sightings. In recent years, with renewed attention to UAP by governments, the Flight 1628 case has been revisited as a well-documented historical example of a UAP encounter in commercial aviation.

Within the UFO researcher community, the case spurred deeper analysis of radar data and pilot testimony. Renowned optical physicist and UFO investigator Dr. Bruce Maccabee conducted an in-depth study of the FAA materials. Maccabee concluded that the multiple-witness sighting and radar contacts could not be easily dismissed as misperception or error[85]. He noted that the crew’s descriptions of the clustered lights were very specific and that the radar data, while not definitive, did show something anomalous. Maccabee ultimately opined that JAL 1628 was accompanied for part of its flight by at least two “true UFOs” – meaning real, physical objects of unknown origin[88]. His analysis gave weight to those in the UFO community who view the case as evidence of unconventional technology (or even extraterrestrial visitation).

On the flip side, skeptical researchers also use JAL 1628 as a case study – of how a compelling UFO report can unravel under scrutiny. In 2014, skeptic Robert Sheaffer revisited the case in Skeptical Inquirer, emphasizing the inconsistencies in the crew’s recollections and how the simplest explanation (Jupiter, stars, radar quirks) fits the data best[89][90]. Brian Dunning’s 2020 podcast on the case likewise framed it as an example of an incident hyped as a “classic” that, in his view, completely fell apart (he concluded it was essentially a non-event once mundane factors are considered)[91][92].

In popular culture, the Flight 1628 encounter remains one of those fascinating aviation mysteries. It’s not as famous as, say, Roswell or the Phoenix Lights, but within UFOlogy it’s a reference point whenever discussing pilot sightings or radar-visual cases. The term “mothership the size of an aircraft carrier” coming from a respected airline captain still captures people’s imagination. The case’s legacy is also evident in how it’s used in advocacy: proponents of more UFO transparency often mention that “even an FAA Division Chief and a 747 crew once dealt with a UFO” when arguing that the topic deserves serious attention.

Finally, on a personal level, Captain Terauchi eventually returned to flying for JAL and later retired quietly. In interviews years later, he stuck to his story, though he also mused that perhaps the times weren’t ready for the truth of what he saw. In a way, JAL 1628’s incident encapsulates the UFO issue’s impact on individuals: Terauchi had an extraordinary experience, reported it dutifully, and found himself both vindicated (by evidence) and professionally penalized (by skepticism). His case has inspired other pilots to come forward (some privately, some publicly) with their own UFO accounts, helping build the case that such incidents are more common than acknowledged.

Today, with renewed official interest in UAP by the Pentagon and other agencies, historical cases like JAL Flight 1628 are being looked at in a new light. It stands as an intriguing data point – an unsolved event at the intersection of aviation and the unknown. Whether one leans toward the skeptical explanation or the extraterrestrial, the Japan Air Lines 1628 encounter endures as a landmark case, reminding us of the mysteries that sometimes confront even the most routine of flights.

Conclusion

JAL Flight 1628’s brush with the unknown on that November evening in 1986 remains a singular event in aviation history. Here was a case of an experienced crew, flying a routine cargo route, encountering something truly extraordinary – an array of brilliant, maneuvering lights and a gargantuan dark craft – in the middle of the sky. They responded exactly as trained: communicating with ATC, attempting evasive maneuvers, and documenting everything they could. The subsequent investigation provided a wealth of information but no satisfying answers. Decades later, we are left with a well-documented mystery: one that continues to intrigue, inspire, and perplex.

For some, Flight 1628 is proof that there are things in our skies beyond current explanation, bolstered by radar and multiple witnesses. For others, it’s an example of how easily human perception can be fooled and technology can glitch, even for top-notch pilots and controllers. The truth might lie somewhere in between, or it might remain forever out of reach. As it stands, the JAL 1628 incident underscores the importance of following up on UAP encounters with open-minded rigor. It also highlights the need for an environment where pilots can report such incidents without fear of ridicule or reprisal – because whatever the crew of JAL 1628 saw, it was real to them and had potential flight safety implications.

In the end, the story of JAL Flight 1628 endures not because it proves aliens are real or because it was conclusively debunked – but because it asks us to grapple with the unknown. It invites us to take a closer look at our assumptions about what is and isn’t possible in our skies. And until that fateful flight’s mysteries are fully resolved (if ever), it will remain a touchstone case, prompting the aviation and scientific communities to keep an open mind about those rare, puzzling moments when the ordinary turns into the extraordinary at 35,000 feet.

Source List

[1] FAA Alaskan Region Internal Memos (Nov 1986 – Feb 1987): A collection of official FAA memoranda and correspondence regarding the “UFO Sighting, JAL Flight #1628, 11-17-86.” Includes the initial Alert Report summary by Franklin L. Cunningham (AAL-1) dated Nov. 18, 1986, which notes the crew’s sighting of a large unknown aircraft with bright lights (no known traffic; intermittent radar returns; crew deemed professional)[24][18]. Also includes a Feb 1987 follow-up memo. Source: FAA FOIA Release 733667 (via The Black Vault) – JAL1628/733667-001-025.pdf.

[2] FAA Chronology of JAL 1628 Event – Quentin J. Gates (Anchorage ARTCC): A detailed chronological summary of the incident, prepared Dec 18, 1986. Lists each communication and radar observation between 5:19 PM and 5:53 PM AST. Confirms key events: e.g., crew reports of “traffic” with white/yellow strobes at 1 mile[8], object on JAL’s radar at 8 nm[9], military radar picking up a primary target at 8 nm[10], pilot’s remark of a “quite big” plane and ATC clearing deviations[13], the 360° turn with UFO staying on port side[15], United flight involvement, and the final remark that a review of radar data “failed to confirm any targets” near JL1628[29]. Source: FAA FOIA Release – JAL1628/733667-001-012.pdf.

[3] FAA Security Incident Reports – Interviews of JAL 1628 Crew (R. E. Mickle & J. S. Derry): FAA Form 1600-32 reports documenting the agency’s security agents debriefing Captain Terauchi and his crew on Nov 17, 1986 (immediately post-flight). These include personal interview notes and summaries of the crew’s statements. For example, Agent Ronald Mickle’s report recounts how the crew saw two sets of lights “in front of the aircraft at a distance of ~7–8 nm” for 10 minutes, then moving to the left side; the lights were described as “yellow, amber and green” with no red, arranged in two distinct clusters that behaved as if joined[31]. It also notes the object showed on the plane’s radar at 7 miles ahead[33]. The crew’s credibility is emphasized, and an addendum mentions Terauchi had prior UFO sightings[36]. Source: FAA FOIA Release – JAL1628/733667-001-005.pdf.

[4] NICAP Case Summary: “Fantastic Flight of JAL 1628” – Fran Ridge (NICAP.org): A comprehensive summary of the incident by the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena. Updated July 21, 2014, it compiles details from FAA records and researcher reports. Describes the flight conditions (clear night, setting sun and rising moon), the two phases of the encounter – the small, high-energy objects with “glowing nozzles or thrusters” that even lit up the cockpit and heated the captain’s face[93], and the appearance of the huge Saturn-shaped “mothership” (estimated twice aircraft carrier size) that trailed the 747[94]. Confirms that the UFOs were tracked on both ground and airborne radar and that an FAA division chief (Paul Steucke) initially confirmed this to media[66]. Also references subsequent analyses and includes links to audio and documents. Source: NICAP website – nicap.org/861117alaska_dir.htm.

[5] “Plane Maneuvered to Avoid Object: Pilot Recounts Sighting Enormous UFO” – UPI / Los Angeles Times, Jan. 1, 1987: A news article by United Press International, published in the LA Times (and other papers). It features Capt. Terauchi’s first public statements. Key details: Terauchi described the UFO as so enormous that his 747 “was tiny compared to the mysterious object”[95]. He is quoted saying the object was “a very big one – two times bigger than an aircraft carrier.”[2] It mentions two smaller UFOs also were seen (which did not appear on radar), and that Terauchi received FAA permission to deviate altitude to avoid the UFO[12]. FAA investigators are cited as finding the crew “normal, professional, rational (and having no drug or alcohol involvement)”[21]. The article also notes Terauchi’s lighthearted remark that perhaps the UFO was interested in the plane’s French wine cargo[35]. Source: Los Angeles Times archives (1987).

[6] Philip J. Klass – “FAA Data Sheds New Light on JAL Pilot’s UFO Report,” Skeptical Inquirer Vol. 11 No. 4 (Summer 1987): An investigative article by renowned UFO skeptic Philip Klass. Based on the FAA’s released data package, Klass offers a debunking perspective. He provides the radar analysis explaining the duplicate blips as an “uncorrected primary return” caused by radar timing issues[72]. He highlights that Captain Terauchi had a history as a “UFO repeater” (multiple prior sightings) which raises a caution flag[80]. Klass also notes the inconsistencies between Terauchi’s in-flight statements and later interviews (specifically whether the UFO stayed through the turn) as evidence of possible misperception[77][78]. The article points out that Jupiter and Mars were in the exact area of the sky of the sighting, and quotes Klass saying it’s not the first time an experienced pilot has mistaken a bright planet for a UFO[73][96]. Klass concludes that a prosaic explanation (stars/planets + radar quirks + psychological factors) is most likely. Source: Reprint via The Black Vault FOIA archive – JAL1628/733667-001-003.pdf (original in Skeptical Inquirer, 1987).

[1] [5] [20] [43] [45] [66] [93] [94] UFO Report

http://www.nicap.org/861117alaska_dir.htm

[2] [12] [21] [35] [52] [56] [58] [59] [95] Plane Maneuvered to Avoid Object : Pilot Recounts Sighting Enormous UFO – Los Angeles Times

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-01-01-mn-1922-story.html

[3] [18] [24] [25] [26] [27] [61] documents.theblackvault.com

https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/ufos/jal1628/733667-001-025.pdf

[4] [46] [63] [85] [88] Pilots were not encouraged to discuss UFOs with media

https://www.newindianexpress.com/opinions/2016/Nov/09/pilots-were-not-encouraged-to-discuss-ufos-with-media-1536454.html

[6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [13] [14] [16] [17] [19] [22] [28] [29] documents.theblackvault.com

https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/ufos/jal1628/733667-001-012.pdf

[15] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [36] [53] [54] documents.theblackvault.com

https://documents.theblackvault.com/documents/ufos/jal1628/733667-001-005.pdf

[23] [55] [81] [86] [87] What Really Happened to Japan Airlines Flight 1628 in 1986? – The Debrief

https://thedebrief.org/what-really-happened-to-japan-airlines-flight-1628-in-1986/

[37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [67] [71] [72] [80] centerforinquiry.s3.amazonaws.com

https://centerforinquiry.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/1987/07/22165315/p04.pdf

[42] [44] [47] [48] [49] [50] [51] [62] [68] [69] Haunted Skies: 1986’s Japan Airlines Flight 1628 UFO Encounter

https://www.americanghostwalks.com/haunted-alaskan-skies-1986-s-japan-airlines-flight-1628-ufo-encounter

[57] [82] [83] [89] [90] Japan Air Lines Cargo Flight 1628 – Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Air_Lines_Cargo_Flight_1628

[60] UFO SIGHTING CONFIRMED BY FAA, AIR FORCE RADAR

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1987/01/02/ufo-sighting-confirmed-by-faa-air-force-radar/c186c4b7-54ed-459e-b94d-eeeff7b3322e/

[64] FAA reopens UFO probe – UPI Archives

https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/01/03/FAA-reopens-UFO-probe/9716536648400/

[65] Final FAA report can’t explain UFO sighting – UPI Archives

https://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/03/06/Final-FAA-report-cant-explain-UFO-sighting/4541542005200/

[70] [84] [91] [92] The Japan Air Lines Alaska UFO

https://web.archive.org/web/20230524025304/https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4753

[73] [74] [75] [76] [77] [78] [79] [96] Scientists Explain Alleged UFO Sighting by Japanese Pilot over Alaska | AP News

https://web.archive.org/web/20221122233407/https://apnews.com/article/275967ae96c4e21dad2fb5eda04bcb37

About The Vault Files

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Alleged DHS “Rubber Duck” UAP Footage, November 23, 2019

John Greenewald — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 21:52:39 +0000

Case File Status: Information Case Only; No Formal Analysis by The Black Vault.
The Black Vault holds no position of what the video depicts, and offers this page for the community to analyze all information available.

This case is also still unfolding so this page will likely be updated frequently.

Last Update: 10/7/2021

Background

The following video is allegedly a “leaked” video from the Department of Homeland Security. Per the on screen display, it was shot on November 23, 2019. The object is allegedly is Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) and can not be explained.

The video was leaked to and published by Andy via his NY UAP DISCUSSION‘s YouTube Channel, and his subsequent Twitter account.

According to the video’s description, as posted by NY UAP DISCUSSION (which is unedited):

“I am finally proud to present to you guys the very FIRST legitimate footage of a genuine UAP craft tracked for over 40 minutes by the department of Homeland Security using FLIR optics system in black hot mode. The footage was captured by an RC-26 reconnaissance plane looking for drug smugglers somewhere over Tuscon Arizona. The object was spotted 20 minutes into the footage and was tracked for a full 40 minutes until the footage ended. The object in question has been verified as anomalous by the organization which analyzed the footage, however, that analysis will be released later on in the year as it is still going through its peer review stage. The object in question is traveling anywhere between 90-200 mph as it flies over the desert surface and is also changing direction as it flies. It is estimated to be about 5 or 6 ft long and looks to have a second smaller appendage that flies with it but it is still uncertain if the smaller orb like object is actually a part of the main one or separate from the main. Also there is no clear indication that there is anything between both parts to show they are attached. The object is emitting zero heat yet accelerates and decelerates throughout the footage. The change in speed and direction is evident by the terrain as it changes while the object is being tracked and also the speed can be seen in the upper right hand side of the FLIR info. The object can also be seen rotating as it flies. Birds, balloons, drones, and all other conventional explanation has been ruled out until Mick West gets a hold of this and claims the object is nothing more than a Frisbee thrown by the worlds strongest man. Mick West himself. I wanna give a special Thank you to Dave Falch for all of his help with analyzing this footage for me!! That will be posted next!!!”

The Black Vault reached out to NY UAP DISCUSSION to host the RAW/UNEDITED file. That was denied, but was said to be released at a later date. The file that was released, and archived here with permission, is 8GB in size, and according to NY UAP DISCUSSION, is the largest available size at the moment.

YouTube’s compression seemed to have compressed the footage by about a third. So, this file here is exactly what NY UAP DISCUSSION sent to archive.

There has been NO formal analysis by The Black Vault, though Dave Falch who specializes in FLIR footage, did. That video is also available below.

The Video Evidence

The Best Resolution Available

.zip file [4.16GB]

The “RAW” and unedited file apparently is being held, for now. According to NY UAP DISCUSSION, it will be released in the future at an unknown date. They claim a full analysis was done, and once that is published, the “RAW” file will be released with it.

In an attempt to archive the best resolution available, The Black Vault reached out on October 6, 2021, to get the file. It was said there is an 8+ GB file that was used for the YouTube version upload (see below), though YouTube crushed it to approximately 2.4GB and it was also 1080p 50fps, a non-standard format for something like this.

Getting the 8+ GB file was proven to be a challenge. After some back and forth, it was determined the 8+ GB file was an upconvert of a 2+ GB file, to take it from 1080p to 4K. The Black Vault through a private arrangement, received what was said to be the original files sent over from the anonymous source. There were two files total. Per request, The Black Vault was asked to redact identifying location information / GPS coordinates, along with adding an identifying image to the video. This was done, per that agreement, and the best copy was exported, keeping the original 1920x1080p 30fps quality and exporting at the absolute top bit rate available (without up-converting the frame size).

There seems to be no loss in visual quality after the re-export, once the requested redactions were done.

The result is a 4.24GB file, which is available for direct download within this .zip file [4.16GB]. Sadly, the compression artifacts are in the “best quality available” versions sent over to me for exporting. I was told these were the best versions available.

Note: There are a few frames seemingly missing around the 00:29:59 mark. That is where the two clips spliced together, and the source files used seemed to have dropped the frames by whomever created/exported them originally. I am noting that here in case anyone felt I edited the video.

The YouTube Upload

Here is an archived .zip file [2.37GB] of the above YouTube video. This is not the same as the export done by The Black Vault, which is available for download above.

Luis Elizondo Comments

The following clip is from the interview with Max Moszkowicz on September 12, 2021. It is clipped here with the segment of the interview.

On October 7, 2021, Luis Elizondo also commented on the footage in an article by The Sun. The published comments were:

Video Analysis – Dave Falch

The following is analysis by Dave Falch. According to Dave:

“This video was made to show just how unconventional and eerie the object is in the DHS ‘RD’ video! I cover some basics of the FLIR (forward-looking infrared) to give an idea of what we are seeing, and why it’s so unnatural. Video courtesy of NY UAP Discussion, YT page here: https://www.youtube.com/user/UFOCompilation“

Analysis – Mick West

Noted skeptic and debunker Mick West has also weighed in.

In addition, he posted the following on Twitter:

“This looks like the path a border patrol plane makes when following something like a bunch of mylar balloons drifting in the wind at night.”

Conclusion

The Black Vault holds no position of what the video depicts, and offers this page for the community to analyze all information available.

The post Alleged DHS “Rubber Duck” UAP Footage, November 23, 2019 first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

The post Alleged DHS “Rubber Duck” UAP Footage, November 23, 2019 appeared first on The Black Vault Case Files.

UFO Sightings Reported Yearly in Pennsylvania by Stan Gordon

John Greenewald — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 11:30:02 +0000

The following was written by Stan Gordon, and is reprinted here WITH PERMISSION. it may not be reproduced in any way without the express permission of the author.

The Government Needs To Be More Forthcoming About The Ongoing UFO Mystery: UFO Sightings Reported Yearly in Pennsylvania by Stan Gordon

by Stan Gordon, UFO Anomalies Zone

While the media is currently giving more than usual attention to the UFO Phenomena, it is not showing the extent of the sightings reported throughout the world. The crux of the matter is that numerous credible detailed UFO sightings have been reported for years by not only military pilots from various branches of the service, but also from civilians throughout the US and the world as well. I want to make this clear to my readers so they are aware of the extent of the sightings, as most of the recent media focus has been limited to the observations by experienced Navy pilots and to the objects observed and tracked by personnel on Navy vessels- which is from only one branch of the military.

Over the years, I interviewed commercial, private, and corporate pilots, all of whom had observed objects in the sky that they could not identify. The public that is reading some of the news stories might get the impression that UFO sightings are a relatively new or insignificant phenomena. That is definitely not the case. There are Pennsylvania newspaper accounts of unusual objects seen in the sky dating back to the late 1800’s and into the early 1900’s. Through the 1940’s and 1950’s, observations of mysterious objects in the sky continued to be reported and the sighting reports have never stopped.

This year will mark sixty two years of my research into the ongoing UFO Phenomena. I have been out in the field conducting on site investigations of UFO sightings and other phenomena reported by the public since 1965. Those of you who are reading this may find it surprising that I have never personally seen a UFO. In 1969 I began to take phone calls from the public to report UFO sightings. My phone still rings at all hours of the day and night with calls about strange observations in the sky.

In 1970, I organized the first of three volunteer research groups that investigated UFO incidents in the Pittsburgh area and around the state of Pennsylvania for many years. Since late 1993, I have continued my investigations as an independent researcher. Most of the people who were involved with my research teams had some type of specialized background or training that was helpful with the research we were conducting. Among the team members were scientists, engineers, technicians, police officers and other first responders, former military personnel, and educators. My investigations have focused on my home state of Pennsylvania, although I do maintain contact with researchers throughout the country.

Conjunction of the planets Venus & Jupiter (Copyright Stan Gordon)

It became very apparent to me when I started my investigations that many UFO sightings, while being reported by credible eyewitnesses, were indeed explainable. Over the years, many sightings were determined to be misidentifications of natural or man-made objects.

Some UFOs were determined to be, for example, bright planets and stars, lights on aircraft, navigational lights on radio towers, bright meteors, re-entry of space debris, automated searchlight displays, weather phenomena, lights reflecting off the bodies of birds and insects, transformer explosions, various types of balloons, sky lanterns, kites, blimps and in recent years, many sightings of the Starlink Satellites as they passed across the sky.

Now that we have that out of the way, there have been countless UFO incidents that have occurred for years from across the Keystone state that are not so easily explained away. The 1960’s was an interesting time period. I investigated a number of very detailed close range UFO sightings of what appeared to be large solid metallic objects that were seen at very close range. In one instance, the object was so close that a witness could see what appeared to be an instrument panel through portholes that were positioned around the side of the object.

The 1970’s were very active with numerous detailed UFO observations, especially during 1973 when Pennsylvania experienced multitudes of UFO incidents throughout the year. Many local and statewide newspapers covered some of those sightings and my groups investigations. Sightings of cigar or elongated oval shaped objects similar to what the Navy has been referring to as Tic-tac shaped objects have been reported over Pennsylvania since at least the early 1970’s. Those sightings have continued to be reported during the last few years and even in recent months. There have also been ongoing sightings of large spheres, triangular and rectangular shaped objects reported across the commonwealth.

While the subject of UFOs is becoming quite popular and is beginning to be discussed more seriously in the news media, there still remains a cloud of ridicule that lurks over the head of witnesses who report encounters with those mysterious flying objects. I have interviewed thousands of UFO witnesses over the years and many of those people asked that they not be identified when relating their experiences. Many of them, because of their educational or professional backgrounds, were concerned that publicly discussing their strange experiences could affect their job positions or personal life. That is one reason why these ongoing UFO encounters rarely make it into the news.

Encounters with Mini-UFOs

It was during the 1960’s when I began to receive reports of odd maneuvering flying objects that were small in size, low to the ground, and approached surprisingly close to the human observers. I have been calling these objects, “mini-UFOs” for years. This is an aspect of the UFO phenomena that has been rarely discussed, even though similar incidents have been reported from around the country.

The smallest of these objects range in size from about one to two inches in diameter and resemble oversized fireflies. The more common observations are of an object about one to two feet in diameter. They are generally described as being spherical in shape, however, some other configurations have been reported. Some observations describe an object that looks solid and metallic, yet in other reports they are transparent or just luminous spheres of various colors. I have interviewed people who were close enough to reach out and touch these objects if they had wanted to. These objects have been seen in daylight and at night and during all types of weather.

Even more interesting are reports of these small objects pacing and at times entering moving vehicles through open windows. There are also reports of these objects entering homes through open windows. Residents have reported for years seeing these small objects hover in front of the windows of their homes and near their properties. Some of these observations seem to have some similarities to what Navy personnel have been referring to as drones which have reportedly been observed around Navy vessels in recent years.

What are we dealing with?

The UFO subject is very complex and there are many different components to it. Many people have brought forth their theories over the years as to what the UFO phenomena could be. Some of the most popular theories have been spacecraft from an extraterrestrial source, time travelers, interdimensional visitors, unknown atmospheric life forms and demons.

I have been of the opinion for years that there may well be more than one origin to unexplained category of the UFO phenomena. I would not exclude the possibility that some of these observations could be of extraterrestrial origin. I have, however, investigated many cases where some of these objects seem to have both a physical and non-physical component to their appearances. We could be dealing with a phenomena that is beyond out present scientific understanding and, for lack of a better term, might be interdimensional.

Until there is definitive evidence, I keep an open mind as to what these unknown objects might be. I don’t have the answers and I don’t think our government has all of the answers either to this ongoing mystery in our skies.

Some of the cases I have investigated suggests that, at times, these objects just suddenly appear in the sky. Some UFOs have been reported to physically transform into another shape. Large solid looking objects have reportedly faded away and vanished. These objects seem to have the ability to suddenly appear and disappear. On occasion in daylight, large solid objects have been observed entering clouds but never exiting or being seen again.

The following is a brief synopsis of some of the many UFO cases that have come to my attention over the years. Most of the cases mentioned were incidents that I investigated. These close range UFO cases provided detailed observations and information and are not easily explainable.

* Spring of 1966-Latrobe– At about 4 AM, a woman was awakened by her dog that was making an odd whining sound and spinning in a circle. Thinking the dog was sick, she took the dog outside. She looked up and noticed a large solid metallic object shaped like a child’s top hovering and spinning about eighty feet over the roof of her home. The object was surrounded in a red glow and was completely silent. The witness became quite upset from what she was seeing but watched as the object suddenly rose into the sky and quickly moved out of sight.

Location where the UFO encounter took place (Adamsburg) in 1966
(Stan Gordon files)

* August 22, 1966-Adamsburg– That evening two women driving on Route 30 eastbound when they noticed a strange object hovering over the high tension power lines up on the hill to their right. The object looked as though it was nearly touching the wires.

As they approached closer, the object dropped below the wires and began to move in their direction. That is when a dark oblong shaped object described as long as an MG sports car passed so low over the car that the two women ducked their heads thinking that it was going to hit them. The object, whatever it was, made no sound. When the ladies arrived at their home, they made a call to the state police.

Sketch of the object observed in 1968 by Charles Hanna

* February 1968-Rural Westmoreland County- It was early evening when a man happened to look out his window to check on the snow that had been falling. That witness (now deceased) had just retired from the Navy and had a high security clearance. He was very familiar with the latest aircraft that the military had in their inventory. He was a devout UFO skeptic until that day.

What first caught his attention was a gray metallic rod that was positioned about twenty feet from his window. When he took a better look, he realized that this long rod was one of three that were connected to a metallic gray object that was oval shaped with a dome on top. He estimated that the object was fifty to sixty feet in diameter. The bottom of the object appeared to be hollow. The object was positioned about fifty feet away from him and was hovering only about fifty feet above a fishing pond.

The man told me he saw what appeared to be windows or portholes in the dome and lower section of the object. He said he could see what looked like instrument panels and at times flashes of different colored lights through the portholes. The hollowed out bottom of the object looked to be about twenty feet in diameter and there were numerous lights spinning within it. The witness called to his wife who upon seeing the object exclaimed, “Oh my God! What is it?”

The man called his brother and wife who lived several miles away in Greensburg. His brother was a UFO believer so he wanted him to come out to see the object as well. When his brother and wife arrived, the object was still there but had moved slightly higher into the sky. They all got into the car and watched the object as it moved to about fifty feet directly above them. Suddenly, the object accelerated higher into the sky until it looked like a bright star, then it turned red as it quickly was lost from sight. They later called the Latrobe Airport and were told that other people were calling in similar reports. The initial witness told me, “If I hadn’t seen it for myself, I could not have been convinced.”

* April 15, 1973-Between Penn and Manor, Westmoreland county- Over twelve witnesses reported seeing large solid objects low to the ground within a one mile radius around this rural area. At about 9:15 PM, two cars full of people pulled off the Penn-Wegley Road to watch a strange object that was just drifting very slowly only a short distance away. The silent elongated object was estimated to be about sixty five feet in length. There were two bright round lights in the front vertical area separated about ten to fifteen feet apart. There was a gray haze surrounding the object making it difficult to see the exact shape of the object. The object was in the vicinity of a power transmission line and of the Manor Power Substation.

Later that same evening, another man driving in the vicinity of the Manor Power Substation observed a large glowing object stationary about ten feet over the trees. The glow from the object was illuminating the surrounding area. The man pulled off the road and lowered the window as he watched the object. The witness told me that the object looked like a glowing spinning top over thirty five feet in diameter. The object continued to spin while hovering and lit up the area with “a burning white glow”.

The man noticed two or three rows of square windows that emitted various colors of light that were positioned around the center of the object. The witness had kept his engine running and headlights on during the observation. However, while looking at the object, his vehicle suddenly shut off and his headlights became very dim. When the object took off at high speed, he noticed that his headlights became very bright again. The man traveled down the road and stopped at a phone booth to report the experience to the state police who then referred him to my UFO hotline.

* October 25, 1973-Near Uniontown, Fayette County– The UFO Hotline was busy ringing with many UFO reports this day. At 10:30 PM that evening, a report came in from a state trooper from the Uniontown barracks. He had just investigated a multiple witness UFO landing at a farm outside of the city. (There were some other unusual elements to the case in addition to the UFO sighting.) At about 9 PM, fifteen people observed a barn sized red spherical object about one hundred feet in the air. The object soon began to descend toward a pasture on the property.

When three fellows went to the area to investigate, they noticed about two hundred fifty feet away that either the object had landed on the ground or was hovering just above it. At that time, they observed a huge white domed shaped object about one hundred feet in diameter that was illuminating the surrounding area and was emitting a loud whirling sound. During the incident, the object suddenly just vanished from sight and the sound also stopped. The state police were soon called concerning the unusual incident.

The investigating officer told me that when he arrived on the scene to investigate, the area where the object had been on the ground was glowing. The luminous area was estimated to be over a hundred feet in diameter and extended up from about a foot off the ground. The farm animals would not go near it. The officer also stated that if he had a newspaper with him, he could have read it from the glow. My team was on the scene within hours after being notified of the incident.

Sketch of the bottom view of the object based on the eyewitness description by Robert McCurry

* August 30, 1983-Derry- A businessman was traveling along Route 217 toward Derry just before midnight. As the man drove down a hill, he suddenly became aware of a series of amber lights that appeared about forty to sixty feet above his vehicle. The man soon realized that he was underneath a huge solid round object that was pacing him down the road. The driver became alarmed both from the tremendous size of the object that he estimated was about two to three hundred feet in diameter, and from the odd strong bass sound that the object was emitting that was vibrating through his body. At times, the witness said he felt claustrophobic when he was under the object. He said the experience was similar to driving into a large underground lighted parking lot.

The witness was able to provide to me a detailed description of the object. The round object was battleship gray in color and had a bluish tinge to it. The bottom section was flat, but in the center was a square or slightly rectangular area outlined in black. It gave the witness the impression that it might have been something like a doorway. The entire bottom section of the object was covered in amber lights that emitted a soft yet bright glow. The lights were each about nine to thirteen inches in diameter and did not flash.

The man became frightened as the object followed overhead and he accelerated in speed to try to get away from it. Moments later, the object that had followed him down the road hovered over him a second time and then a third time. The object finally moved off into the sky and was not seen again. Soon after his frightening experience, he contacted the Latrobe police department who referred him to my UFO hotline. I found the witness to be very credible.

* June 21, 1985-Indianhead- A fellow on his way home from work at about 12:30 AM noticed an odd series of six lights in the sky. As he approached closer, he realized that the lights were attached to an object that looked like a solid elongated blimp. The object, however, had no gondola like that of a blimp. The witness soon realized that he was seeing something that was quite unusual.

The object had a silver metallic look to its surface and looked to be about one hundred feet long. The witness pulled off the road and exited his vehicle to get a better look at it. The object made no sound as it hovered, but as it began to move, he heard a whoosh sound as though something enormous was moving through the air. The object was moving about thirty feet above the trees.

The witness could see that the bottom of the object was hollow from the bright blue lights that were being emitted from that section of the object. Six bright lights at the top of the object were described as flashes of high intensity blue. Those lights spun in a counterclockwise pattern and illuminated the trees and the ground. The object then moved and hovered very low over a field. The fellow ran to the field and stood underneath the object looking for any identification markings such as Goodyear or USA, but there were none. He yelled out loudly but there was no response.

He ran back to his car and soon sped down the road to get his parents to bring back to that location. When they arrived at that location the object was gone. The fellow called the state police, and I was contacted about the sighting soon after. That same evening within hours, several other witnesses from different areas of the state had also reported seeing a similar shaped object.

* August 12, 1986-Monroeville- At about 8:30 AM, witnesses reported seeing a large solid cigar shaped object, “fat and rounded out,” that was hovering over some trees behind the Monroeville Mall complex. It then moved toward the mall and hovered about two hundred feet over the roof of a store. The size of the object was described as the length of three school buses and was completely silent. Later that afternoon, a similar sighting was reported about twenty miles away in Westmoreland County.

Artist Depiction of UFO Incident near Greensburg, PA .
Drawing by Robert McCurry

*September 3, 1987-Greensburg- It was about 8 PM when witnesses, including law enforcement, observed a huge metallic cigar shaped object approaching from the west. The object moved over a series of high tension power lines near what was then the Greengate Mall on Route 30 near Greensburg. The object moved across the highway over a power substation. The object that was moving in a smooth horizontal path suddenly stunned the observers as the football field sized object turned vertically in the sky, and moments later, the power went out in the mall and surrounding area for a short time.

The silent elongated object was described as being about three hundred feet in length and moving only about three hundred feet above the ground. The object appeared to have a silver or dull gray surface and was covered with multiple white flashing lights. There were bright red flashing lights at each end of the object. The object moved out of the area in the distance.

* February 10, 1988-Cambria and Somerset counties- Between 7:45 and 8:30 PM, several reports were received from various witnesses over about a ten mile area bordering on Cambria and Somerset Counties. The first report was from the area near Blough where people observed an object as big as a house hovering over a body of water. The object was described as a solid in appearance, about sixty feet long, with two rows of colored lights that did not blink. The object hovered about fifty feet over the water and within a hundred feet of several witnesses. At one point, bright spotlights from the object were directed toward a wooded area.

That same evening in the vicinity of the McNally bridge, other cars stopped after a large object rose up from beneath the bridge and rose to the height of the bridge. One witness I interviewed was only about one hundred fifty feet from the object. He described the object as looking like a metallic football that was about fifty to sixty feet long and about twenty five feet wide. There were various lights on the object including five or six laser like lights emitting from the front. The witness was amazed that that the object had no wings or propellers and hovered with no sound.

Another witness that same evening near Davidsville reported seeing what he described as, “a small cruise ship in the sky.” The object passed directly in front of him only about twenty feet away. He described the solid object as looking like a football with tapered ends.

* May 17, 1989-Pittsburgh (Squirrel Hill)- Two witnesses had stopped at a restaurant around 3 AM in a densely populated suburb of Pittsburgh. They left the establishment and as they drove down the block approaching Whitman Street, they noticed a large luminous object hovering above the intersection of Beacon and Wightman. The driver was so shocked that she stopped the car and got out to look directly at it.

Their first thought was that the object was a blimp, but as they watched they realized that the object was a lot more elongated, and that it was brightly illuminated in a white glow. Toward the bottom of the object were three large red lights that appeared to be connected. The silent object that had been hovering for several minutes did not move off but seemed to suddenly just vanish. The witnesses were so upset that the filed a police report on the incident.

* September 2, 1989-Ebensburg- A man was sitting by his pond on this beautiful afternoon. Suddenly a strange object began to approach from the north and then hovered about thirty feet above the ground only about fifty feet from the witness. The solid silver object was round and about fifteen to twenty feet in diameter. The bottom section however was colored orange-red. The center of the object was divided by a glass-like amber-colored window with one green flashing light. The silent object hovered and then ascended into the sky, then returned to the same spot where it originally hovered. Prior to the object departing the area, it emitted a mist from the bottom right side of its surface downward toward the ground.

* February 5, 1992-Williamsport and surrounding areas- A UFO incident involving numerous witnesses took place around Williamsburg and other surrounding areas. This incident was well covered in the local newspapers at the time. The series of UFO sightings had taken place late afternoon concerning the observation on one or more large boomerang or triangular shaped objects.

Some of the reports were over populated areas. Some reports indicated that one object seen was estimated to have a wingspan that was hundreds of feet in length. The object, at times, was moving so slowly that people who were nearby moving in a fast walking pace could keep up with it. The object was making a rumbling sound that attracted many people to look outside or up in the sky. The object also displayed various colored lights. Whatever that object was has never been determined. Many witnesses were interviewed, and detailed investigations was conducted.

I quickly began to make contact with sources that might have information. A dispatcher at the Montoursville State Police Barracks told me that they had received numerous reports of a large low level object in the sky. I also spoke with an air traffic controller at the Williamport-Lycomming County airport who told me he had handled about twenty calls from the public reporting the sighting. He told me that he had contacted Harrisburg Approach Control to see if they were working any military air traffic or were aware of any such aircraft in the area at the time of the sighting. They were not. I was also told that nothing unusual showed up on local radar. Whatever this object was still remains a mystery.

* July 24, 2002-North Huntingdon- Three people were standing in a parking lot of a shopping complex talking that evening when one of them noticed something approaching from behind the other couple. That is when they all saw a small sphere that was round and shiny and about the diameter of a tennis ball. One witness stated that although it looked solid you could see thickness in the wall of the object. The object moved slowly past them less than ten feet away. A man told me that if he moved forward a few feet he could have reached out and touched it. The silent object continued to move away on a straight course and was only about six feet above the ground. As it moved off in the distance, it began to move in a zigzag pattern. The wind in that area was very calm at that time.

Photo of the object taken near Youngwood, PA in 2007
Photo used with permission of the witness

* January 3, 2007-Youngwood- It was 8:58 PM that three people were traveling on a rural road outside of Youngwood. It was a clear and starlit night when there attention was drawn to a luminous object that was low in the sky and was either moving very slow or hovering. One witness told me the object was “oval shaped with a hump at the top and bottom”. The entire object was surrounded in a glowing effect. The object that was silent was moving slowly and very low in the sky.

At times, the observers lost sight of it as it was blocked by trees and homes in the area. At one point they had an unobstructed view of it. One passenger had a new cell phone with a camera function that had a night mode setting and snapped one picture. They all looked at the phone and were excited that they had captured a picture of the strange object. Seconds later they looked back, and the object was gone. One witness commented to me, “It was there, then it wasn’t there.”

Sketch of the object provided by the witness
Sketch used with permission of the witness

* June 1, 2013-North Huntingdon- It was just after 10 PM when a mother and her three year old child just left a convenience store and were heading on Route 30 eastbound when ahead of her she saw a large object hovering over the highway. There were no other cars in the area, and surprised at what she saw, the woman stopped her car about one hundred fifty feet from the object. The object that was completely silent was hovering about sixty feet above the highway and took up all four lanes. Her young child yelled out, “Look Mommy, a flying I-pad in the sky!”

The woman told me that the object that looked basically rectangular, “looked like the gondola of a blimp without the blimp.” She estimated that the object was about fifty five feet long and thirty five to forty feet high. There were two tiers of odd looking lights on the object. The family had to pass under the object to get home, and the car experienced various electronic malfunctions at that time. The woman also attempted to take a picture of the object with her cell phone, but the camera function would not operate. See the following account for more details.

* July 30, 2012-Bloomsburg- It was a beautiful afternoon when a motorist traveling east on Interstate 80 near Bloomsburg had a very strange experience. The man was tuning in his radio when he looked at the passenger window and observed a white, round translucent sphere about the diameter of a soft ball following along with the movement of the vehicle. The sphere floated through the open window and entered into the cab of the truck. The object moved around the floorboard, then slowly moved along the floor toward the driver. The sphere continued to move around close to the man. The object then departed through the bed of the truck. You can read more details at this link.

*October 2017-Fayette City- Early that morning, a man went outside to warm up his wife’s car. As he walked down the steps, he looked toward her car and saw something only about ten to twelve feet away by the right bumper. The outside lights were on and the area around the car was well illuminated. The witness said he saw an object that was about two feet tall and shaped like a haystack. The object was translucent, and shiny, and a milky-white color. There were vertical ribs that seemed to be the superstructure that looked like chrome straws that could be seen through the translucent structure. The object which was silent was gliding one to two inches off the ground, was motionless when he first saw it.

Whatever the object was, after several seconds it must have realized that the witness had approached until he stood about six feet from it. It suddenly zoomed extremely fast across the driveway to the left side of the car, then made a perfect right angle turn along the driver’s side of the car into the dark and was not seen again. The entire incident lasted only seconds. The witness wished he had his cell phone with him so he could have taken a picture. The witness has no idea what he saw but feels that it may have been some type of a probe.

*June 4, 2019-Youngstown- Low Level UFO Encounter with Strange Electronic and Animal Affects Reported near the Chestnut Ridge in Pennsylvania

On the evening of June 4, 2019, two people were traveling near the Youngstown side of the Chestnut Ridge not far from Latrobe in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The sky was clear with good visibility. The passenger in the car suddenly yelled out, “What are those lights?” The driver was watching the road and didn’t notice them until they were pointed out. The passenger was confused about what she was seeing since it looked so unusual. She saw what appeared to be a glass tube cylinder among bright lights that seemed to be covered with a smoke or haze. The cylinder appeared to be attached to a large V-shaped object with several rows of different colored lights.

This sketch of the object observed in 2019 was drawn by one of the witnesses

The driver pulled the car over and stopped the vehicle so he could view what the other person was watching. The man said he was amazed when he looked up and noticed the odd sight in the sky approximately eighty to one hundred yards away from the vehicle. Hovering about sixty feet over the trees was a very strange looking object in the shape of a V. The V-shape was made up of numerous small rectangular shaped white lights. These lights were glowing but would brighten and dim at times. The driver estimated that there could have been fifty or more lights.

The object was estimated to be about forty to fifty feet long. Above the smaller lights were four larger round lights that were strobing and were orange, blue, red, and green in color. The brightness of these colors appeared pale compared to the smaller rectangular white lights. These lights seem to strobe from left to right. There was a larger light that produced a beam that was scanning the sky above the object.

The driver lowered the windows as they continued to watch the object. The two observers were amazed that the hovering object was completely silent. As the witnesses continued to watch the object, some odd effects took place. The driver stated that it was as though “the electronic system of the car was having a seizure.” The radio was off at the time but they suddenly began to hear an odd clicking sound inside the vehicle but they were unable to locate the source. At the same time, it was noticed that the dash lights were dimming on and off with the beat of the clicking sound. The driver also stated that soon after he was having a problem with his cell phone dropping the signal several times.

The observers watched the object for about three minutes but became very disturbed by the encounter and decided to leave the area and continue down the road. The passenger stated, “We were beside ourselves in awe.” They didn’t even think of trying to take a picture.

The object was still hovering as they began to drive down the road going about thirty miles per hour. That is when something else strange occurred. About thirty seconds after they left the location of the observation, a deer ran out from the woods in front of their car. The driver of the car is an experienced outdoorsman and said the deer looked dazed and confused. It was moments later that another deer did the same thing. Then just a short distance down the road a bird hit the car windshield and continued on. The driver commented, “All of these animals seemed confused and frightened. They were all crossing the road as to evade something that had scared them. I was in a state of amazement at what we encountered. I’ll never forget that strange night”.

*November 8, 2019-Masontown- This report was investigated by researcher Jim Brown. His website can be found at: www.jimsdestinations.com. During the afternoon of Nov 8, 2019, a man traveling on a rural road outside of Masontown observed a silver gray sphere about two feet in diameter on the ground and blocking the road ahead of him. The man couldn’t figure out what it was but decided to approach the object and move it so he could continue his journey. He was about fifty feet away from the object when he opened the car door and noticed that the object was starting to fade away. It slowly continued to fade away and completely disappeared.

Photo of UFO taken over Latrobe, PA in 2020
Used with the permission of the witness

*October 14, 2020-Latrobe- A witness contacted me during March, of 2021, and shared with me his experience of observing a strange object in the sky. The man lives in the Latrobe, PA area. He was outside taking a walk on the evening of October 14, 2020, when he looked up into the sky and noticed a bright light moving slowly. The light, however, began to change positions and moved in different directions as he continued to observe it.

The object appeared to become larger in size and gave the impression that it was shaped somewhat like a boomerang with three separated lights. The object appeared to be hovering and not moving, and lower in altitude than the small aircraft that land at the local Arnold Palmer airport. The lights on the object were amber in color. The witness was able to obtain one picture before the object moved off. That picture reminded me of another photo taken of a UFO in Cambria county two years before this sighting.

*February-March 2021-A wave of UFO activity occurred in the Pittsburgh area and across the state- Residents from around the greater Pittsburgh area and other locations were reporting numerous sightings of strange objects in the sky and in some cases low to the ground. Sightings were reported from populated suburbs of Pittsburgh and from rural areas as well. There were also some interesting daylight observations. You can read more about some of these cases at this link.

UFO sightings have continued to be reported in recent weeks as well.

During my many years of investigating UFO sightings in Pennsylvania, the following are some of my findings that have continued to surface over the years.

*UFO sightings are very common and are reported every year all year round across Pennsylvania and around the world.

*UFOs seem to be attracted to energy sources. Many low level close range UFO sightings commonly take place in the vicinity of high tension power lines, power plants, communications and broadcast towers, gas wells and gas lines, railroad tracks, etc.

*UFOs have been observed hovering low over bodies of water and have reportedly been seen entering and exiting rivers and lakes across Pennsylvania. Similar accounts of been reported from around the world showing an association of UFOs with bodies of water.

*Low Level UFO sighting are reported not only in rural areas but also in more populated areas as well.

*Many UFO sightings are reported in daylight. Sightings take place at any time of the day or night and during all types of weather conditions.

*Animals commonly react oddly when they are in close vicinity of a UFO.

*Some UFOs seemingly have shown characteristics of being both physical and a non-physical at times.

As you can see from the previously mentioned reports, the UFO phenomena has been a mystery for a long time and regardless of the source of the phenomena, it deserves a serious study by the scientific community. I am hopeful that the forthcoming government report will shed substantial light on the UFO subject- even if they don’t have all of the answers. The public deserves to know.

Contact information:

To report a UFO sighting you can contact me at 724-838-7768. I can also be contacted via email at: paufo@comcast.net. Keep checking my website for incoming information at: www.stangordon.info.

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The post UFO Sightings Reported Yearly in Pennsylvania by Stan Gordon first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

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UFO over Florahome, Florida – August 11, 2019

John Greenewald — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 13:09:50 +0000

Case File Status: Information Case Only; No Formal Investigation

The following case was submitted to The Black Vault / TBV Investigations. There was no formal investigation to the case, and is offered here for informational purposes.

Witness Testimony

The following was submitted to The Black Vault on May 26, 2020.

“On August 11, 2019 at 4:20 am, I observed unusual lights in a triangle formation from my front yard. I woke up my roommate and retrieved telephone to have a witness and to video observance. I videotaped for 12 minutes while also watching for other ufo’s. thus the reason for shaky video. If you view video frame by frame the object can be seen making maneuvers that are impossible for any type of aircraft known to mankind. I submitted the video to MUFON but, did not get a satisfactory report from them. The investigator suggested it was probably a stealth bomber test. There is no way it was any type of known aeronautical technology. See for yourself.

I am going to try to upload the video file but, if it is too big can I get instructions on an alternate way to transmit video to you along with some screenshot captures. Thank you for any information you can give me on what I saw.”

Note: The video is still in the process of being received.

The Evidence

The Analysis

Information Case Only; No Formal Investigation

Conclusion

Information Case Only; No Formal Investigation

The post UFO over Florahome, Florida – August 11, 2019 first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

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Tom DeLonge UFO Video: California – Tijuana, Mexico 3/31/20

John Greenewald — Sat, 11 Apr 2020 01:26:32 +0000

Case File Status: Likely Identifiable. See Below.

Background

The following case was submitted to The Black Vault / TBV Investigations. The reporting witness, who wished to remain anonymous, submitted videos on behalf of a family member. In addition, a corroborating video was also submitted.

TBV Investigations’ researcher Jim Kerr and The Black Vault’s John Greenewald, Jr. worked together on the below investigation.

Witness Testimony

The original testimony submitted to The Black Vault was the following:
Hello,

I am reaching out to you because I do not know who else to turn to regarding a recent UFO sighting in San Diego, CA. I know you are all leading experts in the fields of astrophysics and UFO tracking, so I’m hopeful you can finally provide some answers, other than that they are flares.

At around 8:30 PM in the UTC area of San Diego, CA, my brother and his girlfriend observed 7 strange orbs floating in a horizontal line roughly three hundred feet above the ground. You can see the videos for yourself below. (See “The Evidence” below)

After my brother showed me the videos, I immediately knew they were the same orbs we had seen earlier in 2004, except that time they had moved very quickly, stopped on a dime, and were constantly changing formation.

That night, I posted the fourth video to Twitter and tagged the accounts of nearby Miramar Air Station, San Diego County, San Diego Police Department, our local FOX / NBC news stations, and several UFO tracking accounts, hoping for a response, but nothing. I also emailed the videos to local news stations, but have received no response to date.

My burning question is this: Are these orbs advanced military technology or actual UFOs?

Since posting my brother’s video to Twitter, several accounts have posted their own videos from that night. What’s odd is that all they appear to all be the same orbs, but the locations are in some cases many miles apart. One video was from Bonita, CA while another was from Rosarito, Mexico. Some other users reported sightings in Laguna Beach and Ocean Beach as well.

Here is the video from Bonita, CA, which has the same number of orbs:

Also interesting to note, at around 10 PM, roughly 1.5 hours after my brother and his girlfriend spotted these orbs, they and many others on Twitter noted that jets were being scrambled from Miramar Air Station, which is very unusual for that time of night.

My brother later found this footage from the same night in Laguna, CA, which also shows seven orbs:

(Source)

Here is another article describing the phenomenon, with footage from :

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/weird-news/multiple-witnesses-report-strange-row-21798719.amp?__twitter_impression=true

Honestly, what are these? I would really appreciate your insight!

The Evidence

Video #1

Video #2

Video #3

Video #4

Tom DeLonge’s UFO Sighting Video

After The Black Vault was contacted regarding the above videos, it was learned that Tom DeLonge, rock star and CEO of To The Stars Academy of Arts & Science (TTSA), posted a UFO video and story on Instagram from the same evening and general vicinity.

View this post on Instagram

So last night I get a text from somebody that there was a UAP right off of the beach where I live. I ran to my balcony and saw it split into two pieces and raise vertically. I grabbed Marie, jumped in my truck and went straight down to the beach. We were the only ones on the beach last night as this light disappeared, reappeared, broke into three pieces and stacked vertically with one little red dot flying around the top and then disappeared for the rest of the evening. This video doesn’t show much, but we were up quite late watching the light dance about a half a mile to a mile off of the beach. It was huge, and it was fiery orange. Of course I called up Lue Elizondo as I was there, and he was telling me all of these things I was supposed to do with location, geographic details, weather, altitude and distance etc. Of course, I was completely worthless when it came to those details. But yes, big deal last night in Encinitas, CA. Lue checked immediately, there were no flights in the area except one that I had my eyes on the entire time. No military, no boats, and a bunch of hovering lights that were stacking on top of each other… wild. Who knows…

A post shared by Official Tom DeLonge (@tomdelonge) on Apr 1, 2020 at 7:54am PDT

Being the same night as the other submission, it was noted during our investigation, and worthy of mention here. However, it appears to solve Tom DeLonge’s UFO video, a different explanation may be needed than solving the other ‘multiple orb’ videos.

The Analysis & Investigation

The following video was put together by Jim Kerr to analyze the evidence within this case file.

“Multiple Orb Videos”

First, we tackled the aspect of this which had the best, and most, visual evidence. This involved the numerous videos outlined above, and the mainstream media reporting.

2018 Identical Case – Aircraft Flares

In August of 2018, another nearly identical incident occurred in the exact same area. The event, which resulted in multiple videos of the objects, was quickly explained by the military as aircraft flares. Here is a screenshot from one of those videos, clearly showing the many similarities between the 2018 aircraft flares, and the 2020 “UFOs.”

Air Traffic Control for the night of March 31, 2020, puts the nail in the coffin regarding the explanation of aircraft flares. Special thanks to Twitter user, and private pilot Darkstar IE, for finding recordings that prove beyond any shadow of a doubt aircraft flares were being dropped.

ATC traffic from KSAN, (San Diego) at 8:00-8:30 PM on March 31, 2020, captured the following audio clip:

https://www.theblackvault.com/casefiles/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/ATC-Traffic.mp3

The evidence is clear.

“Raider 28” Calls “So-Cal” operating in the area while doing a “Battlefield Illumination Drop” wherein they stated that, “heavy flares out here, so if you get called about it, its us.”

With the evidence above, we believe these videos and this case, can be determined as “solved” with the culprit being aircraft flares.

That leads us to Tom DeLonge’s UFO video as that is not explained as easily with the same explanation.

Tom DeLonge’s UFO Video

Juxtaposing Tom DeLonge’s UFO video posted to Instagram, to those submitted to The Black Vault above, it only contained one orb/object. Although his written post/comment contained other details not depicted in the video; we had to go by what we could prove — not what was said in the post.

We began by exporting some of the frames from the video.

Still Frame Captures

Contrary to what some observers may think about DeLonge’s UFO video, the object is not pulsating nor is it changing shapes/sizes. The effect you see is a result of the cell phone camera’s auto-focus feature, which in the extreme dark setting that DeLonge was in, the camera is having trouble finding an object to focus on due to the low light. So, it goes in and out of focus, in order to try and get something into focus.

There were very few frames that came into focus, however, this one, nearly did:

It is this frame that likely will help the most in determining the identity of DeLonge’s UFO.

We know by his testimony, that DeLonge went to the beach and looked outwards, which would be West given his position in Encinitas / Southern California. In the sky above him, at the approximate time frame of DeLonge’s UFO video, would be Venus. Below, you will find the night sky, with a closeup of what Venus would look like, courtesy of Stellarium.

Although this may sound like a classic Project Blue Book debunking explanation, it may actually be the most likely explanation for DeLonge’s video.

Not only do we know Venus would be in that direction that DeLonge was looking; the video’s single frame that was nearly ‘in focus,’ captures an image that has striking similarities to a photo that we do know is Venus, taken by TBV Investigations researcher, and amateur astronomer, Jim Kerr, on May 21, 2017 at 11:33 pm:

There are a few things to note. First off, the oblong shaping of the object in DeLonge’s UFO video and the photograph of Venus. As indicated above with the Stellarium screen shots, Venus has “phasing” just like the moon, wherein you don’t always see the full, round shape, of the planet. Both DeLonge’s UFO and the photograph of Venus indicate that is the case here: phasing. This would cause the oblong shaping of the objects in both images above.

Second, the coloring. Both DeLonge’s UFO photograph and Kerr’s Venus photograph have a similar orange tint. Kerr’s photo was taken with a much higher resolution camera, a D300, which you can clearly see a resolution difference when comparing the two images. However, the color tint is similar. This color tint is caused by “Chromatic Aberration.” As explained by Nikon, chromatic aberration is:
“Chromatic aberration is a phenomenon in which light rays passing through a lens focus at different points, depending on their wavelength. There are two types of chromatic aberration: axial chromatic aberration and lateral chromatic aberration.

Axial chromatic aberration is a variation in the length of each wavelength of light and lateral chromatic aberration is a variation in the magnification of the different colors of light; becoming more visible at the image periphery. Axial chromatic aberration results in blurred colors in front of and behind the focus position due to the differences in each color’s focal point. It can be noticeable at the peripheries of extremely bright portions of an image. Lateral Chromatic Aberration is the cause of color fringing. It is only seen at the edges of an image.

Lateral chromatic aberration is reduced to some degree by combining different lens elements with different refractive indexes, but optically speaking, it cannot be completely eliminated. In addition to red and its complimentary color cyan, and blue and its complimentary color yellow, some lenses may exhibit complex color fringing that combines these two primary types. It is greatly reduced by low-dispersion ED glass.”

When taking all of that into account, putting together side-by-side DeLonge’s UFO video, and a known photograph of Venus, the similarities are striking. Despite the clear resolution difference (ie: pixelation), the color: matches. The phasing: matches.

It is believed that although at some point, based on DeLonge’s description, that he may have witnessed what is believed to be the aircraft flares (see above), upon deeper investigation, the video itself is believed to be Venus.

An attempt was made to contact DeLonge for follow ups, but the attempts went unanswered.

Conclusion

Due to the overwhelming evidence, many of the videos (including those submitted directly to The Black Vault) can be explained as aircraft flares being dropped on the night of March 31, 2020.

The secondary piece of evidence analyzed, the video by Tom DeLonge along with his sighting report, is likely connected to the flares being dropped. It is plausible that based on DeLonge’s description, he witnessed the flares as well. However, the video posted to his Instagram account is likely the Planet Venus. The evidence is very convincing when comparing a still frame from his video, which was the closest moment his camera’s auto-focus feature came into focus, and putting it next to a confirmed photograph of Venus in the night sky. The color and phasing of the planet in the image are nearly identical.

For this reason, all of the events explored that occurred on the night of March 31, 2020, can be adequately explained.

Update April 14, 2020

After this original case was posted, some have pointed to a post by Sean Cahill / @mintyhyperspace on Twitter to disassociate Tom DeLonge’s UFO video with the flares being dropped. It insinuated DeLonge was too far away to see the flares, therefore he feels it did not play a role. This post said the following:

“For those linking the now debunked 31Mar20 training flares off Tijuana with the @tomdelonge sighting off Encinitas, they were separated by nearly 40 miles, are not on the same vector and appear to be different events. The Encinitas investigation remains open and unidentified.”

However, although this sounds plausible, the math and assumption when stating this is likely incorrect.

This tweet operates off the assumption that the flares were dropped off the coast of Tijuana, and only one time. More likely than that, they were dropped off the coast of San Diego, further North, as indicated by the SAN DIEGO ATC recordings that can be listened to above.

In these recordings, it was noted that the drop of flares would occur in the Whiskey area, likely referencing Whiskey 291, where the VMGR-352 squadron out of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California. Hence, their “Raider” call sign.

The Whiskey 291 area, is defined as the following:

Jim Kerr did some calculations and math. He adds the following to explain the fact that sightings occurred from Tijuana, Mexico, to Laguna Beach, California:

“VMGR-352’s aircraft is the Lockheed Martin C-130J that has a cruising altitude of 27,000 feet. Flares are deployed at cruising altitude, then ignited after they fall 1000 feet. If the above data is applicable on March 31st, ( I believe it was), this means the flares were ignited at approx 26,000 feet.

This would make the flares visible from Tijuana, Mexico to Laguna Beach, California. At a distance of 108 miles, the earths curvature at 100 miles away would drop 6668.41 feet, meaning the flares would be visible the full 108 miles along the coast.”

Also heard in the ATC recordings, the military activity in Whiskey 291 would be occurring for 1 – 1 1/2 hours which indicates it likely was not a single drop, and more likely, was more than one.

Extra Information – Venus

About The Investigators On This Case

Jim Kerr
Jim.Kerr@theblackvault.com

Jim Kerr joins TBV Investigations from Antelope Valley, California. A former California Highway Patrolman, Jim runs his successful business, while maintaining an active interest in the UFO phenomenon. He had his first two sightings in 1973 which sparked his interest as a UFO researcher. Jim is also an amateur astronomer, photographer, and videographer with experience in photographing and taking video of celestial objects. He is also an avid UFO Hunter.

Jim wants to offer his law enforcement training as an investigator to the team, and I know he will definitely be an asset.

John Greenewald, Jr. (CALIFORNIA)
The Black Vault / TBV Investigations Founder

john@greenewald.com

John Greenewald, Jr. began researching government conspiracies at the age of 15. For more than two decades, he has turned his popular website, TheBlackVault.com, into one of the internet’s premiere resources for officially declassified U.S. Government documents, totaling more than 2,000,000 pages. Greenewald is also a television producer, having helped create a variety of programs for outlets such as the History Channel, National Geographic Channel and the Discovery Channel, and has been a guest on hundreds of radio and television programs throughout the globe.

In December of 2017, he began the TBV Investigations project to bring together and help coordinate the research and investigation of cases throughout the globe.

The post Tom DeLonge UFO Video: California – Tijuana, Mexico 3/31/20 first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

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UFO Seen in Cooroy, Queensland, Australia, December 29, 2017

John Greenewald — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 00:44:51 +0000

Case File Status: Solved, Lens Flares

Background

The witness submitted the following case to The Black Vault / TBV Investigations on 06/08/2019. The case was assigned to TBV Investigator Jim Kerr for investigation and analysis. Date, Time, and Location of Sighting: 12/29/2017 AT 8:00 PM. Cooroy, Queensland, Australia.

Witness Testimony

I’ve attached four photos (in sequential order) taken at a friend’s place one night.

The object was about three feet in front of me, moving slowly upward and away, and I’ve attached these particular photos because they were relatively clear. I literally have over a thousand photos of anomalies which neither Mary Rodwell nor Nancy Talbott can offer an answer for. I’d be happy to send you some if you’d like to see them. I personally would love an explanation! It drives me a bit mad knowing I clearly have evidence of something yet have absolutely no idea what it/they/them might be.

The Evidence

The witness submitted 4-photos. They are numbered 1-4.

Weather: Historical source from wunderground.com

Note: this historical weather information for 12/29/2017 at 8:00 pm was from Sunshine Beach Queensland Australia, which is located approx 15 miles from the town of Cooroy.

Temperature 77 deg, Dew Point 69 deg, Humidity 77%, Wind 9 mph from the north, Pressure 29.93 in, Precipitation 0.0 in, Condition partly cloudy.

Astronomical Historical Data from Stellarium

Searching the archives of Stellarium (a planetarium software that shows exactly what you see when you look up at night and day time sky), I was able to view precisely what celestial objects were visible to the witness from their location.

On 12/29/2017, at 8:00 pm, the moon was the brightest object in the sky. The moon was 10.6 days old and was 81.2% illuminated. This lunar information will be important for the analysis and conclusions of this investigation.

Stellarium view from Brisbane Australia 12/29/2017 at 8:00 pm.

Stellarium view from Brisbane Australia, 12/29/2017, at 8:00 pm. The moon was 10.6 days old and was 81.2% illuminated. This lunar information will be important for the analysis and conclusions of this investigation.

Analysis

I have over 40 years of experience as an amateur astronomer, photographer, astrophotographer, and videographer. I have experience in taking nighttime photography when the moon is bright, causing issues with lens flares.

In all four photos the witness submitted, the 81.2% illuminated moon can clearly be seen. Around the area of the moon, cloud cover can be seen that corroborates the weather information. All four photos show lens flares caused by the brightness of the moon.

My intent here is not to debunk or criticize the witness’ belief that she captured an anomaly. My intention is to help with nighttime photography. There are techniques, lenses, lens hoods that can eliminate lens flares due to bright objects in the night sky. Below are some helpful links.

Conclusion

Case File Status: Solved, lens flares caused by a bright moon.

References/Helpful Information

https://www.the-photography-blogger.com/lens-flare-night-long-exposure-photography/

https://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/89104/how-to-avoid-light-flares-in-long-exposure-night-shots

https://photographylife.com/what-is-ghosting-and-flare

The post UFO Seen in Cooroy, Queensland, Australia, December 29, 2017 first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

The post UFO Seen in Cooroy, Queensland, Australia, December 29, 2017 appeared first on The Black Vault Case Files.

UFO over Westbound Mass Turnpike, November 9, 2019

John Greenewald — Fri, 13 Dec 2019 13:16:46 +0000

Case File Status: Information Case Only; No Formal Investigation

Background

The following case was submitted to The Black Vault / TBV Investigations. There was no formal investigation to the case, and is offered here for informational purposes.

Witness Testimony

My daughter and I were heading westbound on Mass pike around 2:30 AM when we saw this bright orange glowing object that was completely stationary. We took a couple of pics although I wish we had gotten a video. The picture looks completely different than how it actually appeared to us. From our perspective, it looked like a stationary ball of fire in the sky.

The Evidence

The post UFO over Westbound Mass Turnpike, November 9, 2019 first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

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UFO over Apple Valley, California – August 9, 2019

John Greenewald — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 15:20:00 +0000

Case File Status: Information Case Only; No Formal Investigation

Background

The following case was submitted to The Black Vault / TBV Investigations. There was no formal investigation to the case, and is offered here for informational purposes.

Witness Testimony

The witness submitted the following testimony:

“I live on top of a hill. I was idly watching Victorville city light to the west of me when I saw and unusual sight due south of me. It was 4 red light arranged in a perfect level square with 4 white lights perfectly centered on the 4 red light but at 90° to the red lights, ie diamond shaped. I watched for several minutes. Three airplanes lining up for Ontario Airport runway crossed in front of it on their flight down to the runway. The lights never change in size. Then in a blink, they disappeared. The retired George AF base some time fly out of there as well as helicopters, but as ex-military I know all of their markings and light, this was not one of them.

Total time of the observation just under 15 minutes.”

Conclusion

Information Case Only; No Formal Investigation

The post UFO over Apple Valley, California – August 9, 2019 first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

The post UFO over Apple Valley, California – August 9, 2019 appeared first on The Black Vault Case Files.

UFO over Avon, Ohio – August 01, 2018

John Greenewald — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 14:32:34 +0000

Case File Status: Likely Explainable; Lacks Sufficient Evidence

Background

The following case was submitted to The Black Vault / TBV Investigations on December 3, 2018. It was assigned to TBV Investigations’ researcher Michael Glenn for analysis.

Witness Testimony

I was driving west in Avon Ohio. Between 10:00pm and 12:00am on a night on a late summer night. The year was 2018. The info is not exact simply because at the time I did not want to risk men in Black encounters for nothing so I forgot when and what time. At the moment I was looking at the moon while driving. Then a white light seemed to have come from behind the left side of the moon. It resembled a star. It came from about it’s ten o’clock. If I remember correctly it seemed to sling shot and move east. After I parked in the Walmart parking lot it seemed to be going obviously east and then it turned to move South. When it turned south it had red light. The lights I remember where white and also red but I could only see a light . Not any kind of shape the craft was in. It was flying high and slow. To high to be a helicopter such as life flight . To odd to be airlines. Not near a army base. to travel to this parking lot while traveling west on detroit you have to turn right onto a street that may be state route 83 to go north. then you turn right onto the street that should be Chester. The airspace is the western Cleveland suburbs. No authorities where called and I didn’t have a bad feeling. It seemed to be ten minutes . it’s 11:11 as I write this which to some means synchronicity. Private researchers are welcomed to this vague info. However no pics or videos where taken so at best this is just a story between close friends. There for I thought I may disclose do to lack of interest from big government so not sure why a true man in Black would have interest. My personal name was changed but questions can be sent to the email address. I rather not answer questions any other way unless necessary . In the end my word is my bond.

The Analysis

by Michael Glenn

First order was to establish via Google maps the direction and location of the sighting to eliminate mundane causes. The witness saw the object come from behind the moon. On August 1st 2018 the moon was in its waning gibbous phase, quite bright. The distance to the lunar body is significant and would not make much logical sense to see the object come from behind it, and then suddenly be in the atmosphere of the planet. It’s more likely that the moon light obscured the object until it passed into the background of dark space. The object had red and white lights. Red lights are indicative of a wing light on the left side of most aircraft. This would make sense if the object were moving to the east. White lights are typically runway lights or anti-collision lights. The right wing is usually green lights, but the witness does not state seeing green. Possibly because the object was facing away from the viewer. To the east of the Walmart where the witness paused to see the object is the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE). On the night in question there would have been 10-20 incoming flights.

Conclusion

In the screenshot from Google maps I have marked the pertinent details. The most likely explanation is that the witness saw an airplane preparing to land at the nearby airport. Without more substantial information such as video or still images it is impossible to ascertain what the witness saw.

The post UFO over Avon, Ohio – August 01, 2018 first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

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Paranormal Portal Opens Over Elko, Nevada – April 2015 (Hoax)

John Greenewald — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 16:04:59 +0000

Case File Status: Hoax

Background

The following case was first submitted through the UFO Reporting hotline for The Black Vault / TBV Investigations. It was assigned to Jim Kerr for investigation and analysis.

Witness Testimony

By Jim Kerr, TBV Investigations

The witness stated in essence; this incident took place in April 2015 between 7:00 and 8:00 pm, but he can not remember the date in April. The witness and a friend were sitting inside a parked car engaged in conversation at the corner of Metzler Road and Lamoille Highway in the city of Elko NV. The sky was clear, with no rain or wind, and the temperature was cool.

While seated inside the car, he observed an orange light approx 85-90 degrees overhead slightly moving in different short directions but remained in the same location in the sky. Using his Windows 10 cell phone camera he began videoing the sighting. After several seconds the orange light turned white then opened up like a cube-shaped portal slightly larger than his fist held at arm’s length. The light inside the portal changed to orange and blue and was swirling around like food coloring mixed with water going down a sink drain, but the two colors did not mix. Suddenly the object began to take on the shape of an orange cube. It transformed into this cube similar to someone printing a cube with a 3D printer. The size was slightly larger than his closed fist held at arm’s length. Within this cube, at least two side profiles of human-like faces appeared. The faces appeared to morph changing slightly in shape and size. After approx one minute the portal closed vanishing into the night sky. The witness stated he was convinced he and his friend had witnessed a paranormal event of unknown origin.

Telephone Interview

On 02/27/2017 at 9:17 am. I conducted a recorded telephone interview with the witness.

The Evidence

On 02/20/2019, the witnessed emailed me two links to his YouTube channel of the video he filmed of the portal. Both videos are of the same object. The first video is the unedited footage. The second video the witness enlarged to see the object more clearly. Note; to protect the witness anonymity, I am not posting direct links to his YouTube channel in this investigation.

Unedited Video Footage Submitted by the Witness

Edited Video Footage Submitted by the Witness

The Analysis

By Jim Kerr, TBV Investigations

Weather and Astronomical Data

Due to the fact, the witness could not remember the exact date of this event; I am unable to research and report weather and astronomical data for this sighting.

Summary and Analysis of Witness’ Statement and Video Evidence

The witness couldn’t remember the day, but in April 2015, between 7-8:00 pm, he and a friend observed a portal open in the night sky that, in the witness’ words, painted or 3D printed swirling colors within a cube-shaped portal. Moments later, profile images of human-like faces then appeared. The entire sighting and video of the event lasted less than one minute. The witness believed he had witnessed a paranormal event of a portal opening in the night sky.

I spoke to the witness twice along with a recorded telephone interview and exchanged several emails. The witness’ story never varied in detail, and he seemed sincere in relating his sighting. When I first viewed both his original video and edited video, the video was dark due to being videoed at night. In the edited, cropped, and enlarged video, I could see what he described as the profile of human-like faces but suspected the objects might fall into the category of pareidolia.

Video still I removed from witness’ unedited video. Note the lighting in this still is dark and hard to tell what the image depicts. If this was truly a stationary object in the night sky, it was something strange.

Video still I removed from witness’ zoomed and cropped video. In this video still, you can see what could look like the profile of a human face with long hair, pareidolia, but I immediately recognized the object in this still was a house.

I decided to download both videos to my Sony Vegas Video editing software where I could enlarge and crop the images for closer analysis. Below is a cropped still from the witness’ original footage. I increased the lighting, and it revealed the following. A house with a tree blocking a small section of the house at it’s right causing the pareidolia effect of a human face profile. Also, note the bluish green square of the tinted window of either a pickup truck with a shell or a van parked in front of the house. Obviously, this is a house with two windows, a tree in front of the right portion of the house, and a vehicle parked in front of the house.

Same still image as above. Increased crop.

Using Google earth, I went to the location where the witness stated he parked. Using the street view, I began searching for this house. Within approx 800 from where the witness was parked, I was able to find a similar house as depicted in the witness video. This could be the same house filmed by the witness. Keep in mind he claims he took the video in 2015 and it is unknown when the Google earth images were taken. I believe it is the same house at a slightly different camera angle.

Conclusion

The witness’ own video footage revealed that his sighting and claims are without any doubt a hoax. During the hours of darkness, he videoed a house with two windows, with a tree in front of the right portion of the house, and a vehicle parked in front of the house. Most likely, after viewing his video, he decided to hoax a paranormal event in the sky telling tall tails of portals, swirling colors, cubes, and the faces of human-like entities.

My conclusion: Solved; Hoax. Filming a house at night claiming it was a paranormal portal in the sky.

The post Paranormal Portal Opens Over Elko, Nevada – April 2015 (Hoax) first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

The post Paranormal Portal Opens Over Elko, Nevada – April 2015 (Hoax) appeared first on The Black Vault Case Files.

UFO over Austin, Texas – August 19, 2018

John Greenewald — Tue, 14 May 2019 12:51:52 +0000

Case File Status: Information Only / No Formal Investigation

Background

The following case was submitted to The Black Vault / TBV Investigations. There was no formal investigation due to the age of the sighting, but is archived here for reference and informational purposes.

Witness Testimony

The witness submitted the following testimony regarding their sighting:

“Looking towards the west at a constellation, I noticed a dark void blocking the stars. The void was heading east and it went directly over me. It was silent. The craft was pitch black except for circles on the leading edges of what I will call its wings. They were perfectly round. And they were about the color of the night sky. The triangular void was pitch black. It took about one minute for the craft to cross the sky over north Austin, Texas.”

Witness Sketch

The witness submitted the follow sketch, representing their sighting.

The post UFO over Austin, Texas – August 19, 2018 first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

The post UFO over Austin, Texas – August 19, 2018 appeared first on The Black Vault Case Files.

UFO over Theodore, Alabama – June 9, 2018

John Greenewald — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 13:56:43 +0000

Case File Status: Inconclusive, Lacks Witness Contact and Appropriate Evidence

Background

This case was submitted to The Black Vault / TBV Investigations on 07/25/2018 5:07 am . It was assigned to investigator Paul Wright for analysis and investigation.

Witness Testimony

The witness submitted the following report:

“I have been seeing these things for a month now. But the one I’m seeing today is different first time seeing this one. Please listen to me I’m not making it up. they r out there right now. It’s my human obligation to tell & show what I see.”

The Evidence

The witness provided a brief written report, along with the below photo (click to englarge):

The Analysis

By Paul Wright, TBV Investigations

At this moment in time the witness has not responded to further contact by email after the initial submission. Therefore the lack of specific details makes it difficult to assess the case.

Using just the short written report and a dark photograph its difficult to form a conclusion.

Photo analysis revealed an issue between Date of sighting and photo creation date which was taken after the date of the sighting:

Date, time of sighting 06/09/2018 at 21:00 PM
Photo creation date 24/07/2018 at 21:36 PM
Submission date 25/07/2018 at 05:07 AM

Meta Data Information

Weather report for date of sighting. Source: https://www.wunderground.com/history/daily/us/al/mobile-downtown/KBFM/date/2018-6-9

Image Analysis

Conclusion

Taking into account no further contact with witness (only email available) and no specific location in Theodore Alabama my conclusion is inconclusive due to lack of specific details and a photograph that is open to interpretation.

The post UFO over Theodore, Alabama – June 9, 2018 first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

The post UFO over Theodore, Alabama – June 9, 2018 appeared first on The Black Vault Case Files.

UFO Triangle over Kansas – July 29, 2018 – (Reference: MUFON Case Number 93741)

John Greenewald — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 23:01:25 +0000

Case File Status: Fraudulent report submitted to MUFON.
Witness plagiarized a photo owned by Jim Kerr.

Background

This report prepared by Jim Kerr, TBV Investigtions

On 12/29/2018, I was reviewing MUFON case files on the Facebook group “MUFON Global.” When I saw MUFON case number 93741, I immediately recognized the craft in the photo as a still photo/video-frame from the video I shot back on July 24, 2013, at 9:00 pm. in the Antelope Valley, Ca. I downloaded the photo’s from the MUFON investigation, compared them to my photo, and they are a match.

The Evidence

MUFON witness submitted photo.

Jim Kerr’s original photo file # 20130724210202 2 jpg currently archived in his computer with dates, time and metadata.

MUFON investigated, and published the follow article:

Screen shot of MUFON report – originally posted at: https://www.mufon.com/ufo-photos/low-flying-kansas-triangle-caught-on-camera

The Analysis

On 12/29/2018 I was reviewing MUFON case files on the Facebook group “MUFON Global.” When I saw MUFON case number 93741, I immediately recognized the craft in the photo as a still photo/video-frame from the video I shot back on July 24, 2013, at 9:00 pm. in the Antelope Valley, Ca. I downloaded the photo’s from the MUFON investigation, compared them to my photo, and they are a match.

The photo submitted by MUFON’s witness was plagiarized from one of two possible websites.

#1, an article I published on The Truth Denied website on 03/19/2015.

http://www.thetruthdenied.com/news/2015/03/19/ufos-aurora-tr3bs-secrets-of-black-government-programs/

#2, a UFO investigation I conducted for The Black Vault / TBV Investigations, published on 09/28/2018.

https://www.theblackvault.com/casefiles/triangular-ufos-over-st-thomas-ontario-canada-witness-experiences-physical-markings/

It was obvious that the MUFON witness photoshopped his photo inserting my photo to his, rotating the craft in a slight counterclockwise direction. I could take this investigation one step further and send the photos to a professional photo analysis, but I don’t believe this is necessary. Any investigators trained eye can determine that the MUFON photo and mine are the same.

Photo Comparison

The photo on the left is the MUFON witness’ photo. The photo on the right is owned by Jim Kerr. The witness superimposed Jim Kerr’s image into his own photo rotating the craft in a slight counterclockwise direction. Compare the cropped and enlarged photos. The image of the craft are the same.

Additional Information

The craft described in the MUFON report was NOT a UFO. On July 24, 2013, at 9:00 pm, my wife and I observed this craft take off vertically from the USAF Plant 42 in Palmdale, Ca. Although we consider it “unidentified” we are confident it is some type of classified military project. My wife and I watched this three times, three weeks apart, same day of the week at 9:00 pm.

Conclusion

I find it sad that in today’s world of Ufology that unethical individuals find it necessary to fake UFO sightings, photos, and video using CGI, Photoshop and other programs. As a UFO Investigator for TBV Investigations, we run across our share of fake reports, intentionally manipulated photos/video, and we expose these frauds to the public. Plagiarized material is also becoming popular and harder for investigators to discern. It has become necessary for UFO investigators to question every report, photo, and video submitted by the witnesses.

I hope that MUFON will review my investigation and expose their witness’ sighting and photo as a hoax. MUFON is welcome to contact me through TBV Investigations to discuss my findings. They are also welcome to meet with me to inspect the data on my computer. As UFO investigators we need to assist each other in exposing fake UFO reports.

My conclusion; Fraudulent report submitted to MUFON. Witness plagiarised a photo owned by Jim Kerr.

The post UFO Triangle over Kansas – July 29, 2018 – (Reference: MUFON Case Number 93741) first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

The post UFO Triangle over Kansas – July 29, 2018 – (Reference: MUFON Case Number 93741) appeared first on The Black Vault Case Files.

UFO over Maryville, Tennessee – January 10, 2019

John Greenewald — Mon, 18 Feb 2019 20:56:33 +0000

Case File Status: Solved, Astronomical-Star

Background

On 01/16/2019, the witness called the TBV Investigations Hot-Line and requested an investigator contact her so she could report a UFO sighting. The case was assigned to TBV Investigator Jim Kerr for investigation and analysis.

Witness Testimony

On 01/31/2018 at 4:35 pm, I contacted the witness by phone. She stated she couldn’t talk and provided her email address for communication. Multiple times I attempted to contact her by email for her statement and to answer questions. The only response was two emails containing video footage of the UFO she observed.

Additionally, during our initial phone conversation, the witness stated, in essence, her video footage told the entire story. If the witness responds to my email requests for her statement and answered questions, I will add the information to this report.

The Evidence

On 02/02/2019 the witness forwarded the following two videos. Videos were taken on 01/10/2019 at approx 1:18 am.

Warning: Profanity in video.

The Analysis

By Jim Kerr, TBV Investigations.

Weather

Maryville, Tennesse, 01/10/2019 at approx 1:18 am. Weather source, Weather Underground.

Temperature 31 degrees, Dew Point 18 degrees, Humidity 59%, Wind 7 mph from the NNW, Precipitation 0.0 inches, Condition Fair.

Astronomical Data

Astronomy	Day Length	Rise	Set

Actual Time	9h 53m	7:47 AM	5:41 PM
Civil Twilight		7:19 AM	6:09 PM
Nautical Twilight		6:47 AM	6:41 PM
Astronomical Twilight		6:16 AM	7:12 PM
Moon: waxing crescent		10:41 AM	9:59 PM

Searching the archives of Stellarium, (a planetarium software that shows exactly what you see when you look up at the stars and the daytime sky), I was able to view exactly what celestial objects were visible to the witness in the sky from witness’ location in Maryville, TN, 01/10/2019 at 1:18 am.

According to the data available on Stellarium, the star Sirius was the brightest object in the witness’ night sky. The moon was not visible, rise 10:41 am, set 9:59 pm. Sirius was located at an approx 200-degree compass reading SSW and approx 45 degrees above the horizon. Sirius, located in the constellation Canis Major, the Greater Dog, is the brightest star in the night sky. It is easy to view in the SE-S-or-SW on evenings from winter to mid-spring. Sirius’ color is blue-white and sometimes called the rainbow star as it flickers with many colors due to viewing through the earth’s atmosphere, especially when it low on the horizon. Sirius is often reported as a UFO.

Video Reference Research

Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky

SIRIUS-THE RAINBOW STAR-in The Constellation of CANIS MAJOR

Conclusion

I have experience as an amateur astronomer, photographer, and videographer, I have spent many years taking video and photos of celestial objects. I have filmed jet aircraft, celestial objects, birds, bugs, helium balloons, lightning storms, cloud formations, stars and more. I have observed the star Sirius on countless occasions and familiar with its appearance, colors, location and the fact it has been misidentified as a UFO.

Based on analyzing the witness’ two submitted videos along with my experience, I can say with 100% certainty the object the witness observed and videoed was a star. Based on the video evidence, the star in the footage has the same rainbow colors as the star Sirius. Sirius was the brightest object in the witness’ night sky and the easiest to video. In my opinion, the star the witness videoed was Sirius. It is also important to note, the star in the footage goes in and out of focus due to the camera hunting for focus.

My conclusion: Astronomical, star

The post UFO over Maryville, Tennessee – January 10, 2019 first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

The post UFO over Maryville, Tennessee – January 10, 2019 appeared first on The Black Vault Case Files.

UFO over Fresno, California – December 19, 2018

John Greenewald — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 14:59:58 +0000

Case File Status: Solved; Astronomical, Planet Venus

Background

Witness submitted the following case to The Black Vault / TBV Investigations on 01/18/2019 at 11:06 am. The case was assigned to TBV Investigator Jim Kerr for investigation and analysis.

Witness Testimony

The witness stated in essence on 12/19.2018 at 4:00 am he awoke due to a dream he was having involving aliens. He went downstairs to his kitchen and looked out the window and saw a strange light that appeared to be 5-10 times larger than a star. He went back upstairs then 20 minutes later he decided to go outside, and the object was still in the sky. With his phone, he took video of the object. The witness stated the object was located approx 20-30 degrees above the horizon in the SW at a 110-degree compass reading. At arm’s length, the object was the approx width or slightly less than his pinky finger. The color of the object was bluish similar to the color of the North Star, Polaris. The witness further stated on following nights he did not observe the object.

Telephone Interview

On 02/05/2019 at 1:06 pm I conducted a recorded telephone interview with the witness.

The Evidence

On 02/05/2019 at 2:16 pm the witness emailed me the video below.

The Analysis

By Jim Kerr, TBV Investigations.

Weather

Fresno, California, 12/19/2018 at 4:30 am. Weather source, Weather Underground.

The temperature was 43 degrees, Dew Point 42 degrees, Humidity 97%, Wind 3 mph from the East, Wind Gust 0 mph, Pressure 29.9 inches, Precipitation 0.0 inches, Condition Fog.

Astronomical Data

Astronomy	Day Length	Rise	Set

Actual Time	9h 38m	7:08 AM	4:46 PM
Civil Twilight		6:39 AM	5:15 PM
Nautical Twilight		6:06 AM	5:47 PM
Astronomical Twilight		5:35 AM	6:19 PM
Moon: waxing gibbous		2:43 PM	3:35 AM

Searching the archives of Stellarium, (a planetarium software that shows exactly what you see when you look up at night time and day time sky), I was able to view exactly what celestial objects were visible to the witness in his sky from his location in Fresno, Ca on 12/19/2018 at 4:30 am. https://stellarium.org/

Two images of the night sky visible to the witness on December 19, 2018, at 4:30 am. (Images are not to scale and for illustration purposes only).

Additional Information About Venus

The Planet Venus is the second brightest celestial object in our night sky only surpasses by earth’s moon. While not a star, it is often referred to as the “morning star” and “evening star.” When its orbit overtakes earth’s orbit, it goes from being visible at sunrise to being visible at sunset. Because of Venus’s location between the earth and the sun along with both having different orbit times around the sun, we can see Venus’s phases just like we see the moon’s phases. When it is furthest away from earth behind the sun, we see it’s phase as being full. As it’s orbit approaches and goes past earth, it goes through the phases of, gibbous, waning, crescent and half full. Even when Venus is closest to earth and appears as a crescent, it is still the second brightest object in the night sky.

Video Reference Research

Venus: Crash Course Astronomy #14 by CrashCourse

The Phases of Venus by Faithful Science YouTube Channel

Venus phase was close to half full as seen from Fresno, Ca. on 12/19/2018 at 4:30 am. Stellarium

Photo of Venus was taken through a telescope by Jim Kerr on 03/08/2017 at 7:00 pm.

Summary and Analysis of Witness’ Statement and Video Evidence

I spoke to the witness on two separate occasions along with his recorded telephone interview. I found the witness to be credible, honest with above average intelligence.

The witness described the location of the object at an approx 110-degree compass reading approx 20-30 degrees above the horizon. The witness measured Venus’s location using a compass. The witness stated the object was extremely bright, bluish/white and almost the diameter of the width of his pinky finger at arm’s length. The witness stated, while videoing, the object shape-shifted. Upon analyzing the video, I observed the object go in and out of focus caused by the cell phone camera attempting to track and focus on the object. Focus issues along with a hand-held cell phone camera are what caused the shape-shifting, movement, and the size of the object to pulsate as the camera attempted to focus. According to the data obtained from Stellarium, Venus was located at an approx 110-120 degree compass reading and approx 12 degrees above the horizon. The data from Stellarium and the testimony of the witness places Venus in the approx location that the witness stated. My investigation brings me to the conclusion that the object the witness observed and videoed was the planet, Venus.

Video Analysis

Conclusion

Based on my experience, data from Stellarium, witness’ video and statement along with my video analysis, the object the witness observed was the planet, Venus.

My conclusion: Solved; Astronomical, Planet Venus

The post UFO over Fresno, California – December 19, 2018 first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

The post UFO over Fresno, California – December 19, 2018 appeared first on The Black Vault Case Files.

UFO over Highway 8 parallel to the Mexican Border, Arizona – August 14, 1993

John Greenewald — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 14:20:34 +0000

Case File Status: Undetermined
Lacks Sufficient Evidence / No Witness Contact

Background

The following case was originally submitted to the Black Vault and was assigned to TBV Investigations’ Researcher Richard Kidd for analysis.

Witness Testimony

The following was submitted by the witness on December 21, 2017.

“I was driving, overnight, from Tucson to Southern California on Highway 8 near Yuma, Az. There was NO traffic at this time of night. The sky was black with millions of stars by which I was in awe! I was observing lights to my left that I believed was the border: high light poles with floodlights that shined down to the ground. No car lights, no people. Terrain was low, no hills, a few cacti. (I was able to stare at the sky in that direction for many seconds at a time since there was no traffic and the road was straight ahead as far as as I could see.) As I looked at the stars I noticed a large black object blackened out the stars as it moved in the same direction as I was traveling. I could see it was huge, and triangular in shape from the way it blackened out the stars. (Since then I’ve seen film clips, especially in the Midwest, that showed these same type objects.) It was moving slowly what seemed to be along the border fence. My speed was much faster, and in fact I soon lost sight as I “outran” it. My “viewing” time was probably a good 5 to 7 minutes though. Long enough to see a good description of the object! I never saw anything, or read anything about the incident. I don’t know if it was a UFO or a reverse engineered American ship. I DO know I could hear no motor which would have been necessary because of its size.I would guestimate it was larger than any aircraft known at that time.I have no doubts about what I saw. Not much more I can say. No need to interview. I just thought you might add this to any other file about sightings in this area around this time.”

The Analysis

I have attempted to call the witness a couple times. I have left voice mail messages and I have not received a return call. I am assuming because, in his report he states that no interview is necessary and he just wanted to include his sighting in The Black Vault’s case files, if any other individuals have reported sightings in the same location. This case is archived here for reference.

Conclusion

I am recommending that this case be closed due to lack of evidence other than the statement by the witness.

The post UFO over Highway 8 parallel to the Mexican Border, Arizona – August 14, 1993 first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

The post UFO over Highway 8 parallel to the Mexican Border, Arizona – August 14, 1993 appeared first on The Black Vault Case Files.

UFO over Porter, Texas – August 23, 2018

John Greenewald — Sun, 27 Jan 2019 15:46:27 +0000

Case File Status: Intentional Hoax

Background

Witness submitted the following case to The Black Vault / TBV Investigations on 09/09/2018 at 3:08 pm PST. The case was assigned to TBV Investigator Jim Kerr for investigation and analysis.

Witness Testimony

Witness Webster submitted the following testimony on 09/09/2018 which is unedited and appears as it was submitted:

“As usual I was photographing The classified cabal planes I had been very hard and asking the aliens telepathically if they existed to show themselves as I was photographing one of their menacing green planes this thing decided it wanted to be the main attraction it winked on out of nowhere as the video shows and just as quickly it winked out. I have photographed many strange things this is the only one that I am absolutely sure is alien No Doubt and when I expand it I am sure I see some kind of humanoids in it but I would like other people to verify that but I’m sure that I see them I’m going to send the picture and the video so you can expand picture see if you see humanoids this is one of the only sightings to affect me emotionally.”

Additional Witness Testimony submitted on 11/15/2018 at 6:58 pm PST. This statement is in reference to submitted evidence # 3.

“I have so many dome I believe to be UFO but here is one these blinking ones have been EVERY day for about 1 month”

The Evidence

The witness submitted five files of visual evidence, two jpg photos, and three mp4 video clips. The visual evidence is numbered in the order it was received.

#1, jpg photo, submitted on 09/09/2018.

#2, three-second mp4 video clip submitted on 09/09/2018.

#3, three-second mp4 video clip, submitted on 11/15/2018 with the following witness statement.

I have so many dome I believe to be UFO but here is one these blinking ones have been EVERY day for about 1 month

#4, jpg photo, submitted on 11/15/2018.

#5, Three-second mp4 video clip submitted on 11/15/2018

The Analysis

By Jim Kerr, TBV Investigations

As an amateur astronomer, photographer and videographer I have spent many years observing celestial objects in the night sky. I have experience with astrophotography along with coupling DSLR cameras and video cameras to telescopes using eyepiece projection to film celestial objects. I am familiar with camera focus issues in low light, lens flares caused by the sun, moon, and artificial light sources. To recognize out of focus celestial objects, I and have intentionally observed and filmed celestial objects that are out of focus. I am very familiar with aircraft flying both at night and during the day. I am familiar with aircraft landing lights and marker lights. From 2011 to 2015 I investigated claims of geoengineering taking place in our skies including claims of aerosols, aka Chemtrails, being released/sprayed by jet aircraft. As a result of my geoengineering investigations, I have over 100 hours of archived video taken of jet aircraft during the day and at night.

I attempted to contact the witness numerous times since 11/15/2018 as I had a list of questions regarding his statements and the submitted visual evidence. The witness never replied to my questions but based on the visual evidence alone I can identify the objects and video/photo anomalies bringing this investigation to a conclusion.

The witness stated, in essence, he was photographing classified cabal planes and asking the aliens to reveal themselves. He then videoed what he described as their menacing green plane, and the aliens decided to show themselves appearing out of nowhere then immediately vanishing.

Let me explain what the witness is referring to when he states cabal planes, menacing green planes, and his belief they are aliens. Back in 2011 I investigated this subject and am very familiar with these beliefs. There is a small sect of people who firmly believe aliens are piloting flying saucers disguised as jet aircraft and are spray toxic chemicals (aka chemtrails) in the earth’s atmosphere. They believe these so-called chem jets; cabal planes are holograms projected by alien flying saucers to conceal their diabolical plan to terraform the planet to sustain alien life. If one searches YouTube or an internet search, there are thousands of examples of this cult-like belief system. At best, this belief would make a poor “B” rated Hollywood movie.

Weather

Porter, Texas, 08/23/2018 at 9:00 pm. Source: https://www.wunderground.com/history/daily/KIAH/date/2018-8-23?req_city=Porter&req_state=TX&req_statename=Texas&reqdb.zip=77365&reqdb.magic=1&reqdb.wmo=99999

At approx 9:00 pm the temperature was 86 degrees, dew point 76 degrees, humidity 72%, wind 14 mph out of the SE, precipitation 0.0 inches, visibility 10 miles, and it was partly cloudy.

Astronomical Data

Astronomy	Day Length	Rise	Set

Actual Time	13h 1m	6:54 AM	7:56 PM
Civil Twilight		6:30 AM	8:20 PM
Nautical Twilight		6:00 AM	8:50 PM
Astronomical Twilight		5:30 AM	9:20 PM
Moon: waxing gibbous	93% illuminated	5:21 PM	3:18 AM

Link to Moon Phases, August 2018

Searching the archives of Stellarium, (a planetarium software that shows exactly what you see when you look up at the stars), I was able to view exactly what celestial objects were visible to the witness in his night sky from his location in Porter, TX on 08/23/2018 at 9:00 pm. The moon phase was a waxing gibbous illuminated at 93% that would account for the lens flares in one of the witness’ photos.

https://stellarium.org/

Analysis of Witness’ Visual Evidence

Refer to photos and video 1-5 under the evidence heading.

#1, jpg photo. Keep in mind the witness never responded to my questions, but the picture and video are self-explanatory rendering my conclusions. In the top left portion of this photo is an overexposed photo of the moon. The shape of the overexposed moon matches the waxing gibbous moon, 93% illuminated on the night of 08/23/2018 at 9:00 pm. In the lower right portion of the photo are two lens flares. Based on my experience these are lens flares are common when photographing an illuminated moon.

#2, three-second mp4 video clip. This video clip shows nothing but lens flares from an external light source, most likely a red laser pointer or flashlight with a red lens. It is obvious that the video recording device was mounted on a tripod or sitting on a stationary object. It is also obvious that someone was manipulating a laser or flashlight in an up and down motion directed in the vicinity of the camera lens to cause the lens flares captured by the camera. It’s also important to note while taking video at night, the shutter speed of the cameras will be slowed down using automatic settings. This slow shutter speed is the reason we see the squiggly red lens flare dancing around in this video footage. In my professional opinion, this was done intentionally to bring about deception.

#3, three-second mp4 video clip. As an amateur astronomer, I can state exactly what is depicted in this video clip. I can not state the name of the star, but it is, in fact, a star. It is obvious to me that the witness pointed his camera on a bright star the rotated the camera in a clockwise circular motion that gave the star the false illusion that it was moving. Also, due to the motion of the camera, the star went in and out of focus. Again, in my professional opinion, this was done intentionally to bring about deception.

#4, jpg photo. Photo of a jet aircraft with it’s landing lights turned on. The witness stated he was photographing aircraft or what he termed as a cabal plane.

#5, Three-second mp4 video. Distorted video footage of a jet aircraft with it’s landing lights turned on. The witness moving/giggling the camera, along with the slow shutter speed of the camera at night, distorted the image of the jet and it’s landing lights.

Video Analysis

Conclusion

Based on my years of experience filming the sky as an amateur astronomer, photographer/ videographer, along with my knowledge of cameras, I can recognize deceptive manipulation in visual evidence submitted by a witness. There was no need for this witness to answer my questions. Answering questions would only be additional evidence of a hoax. I believe the witness intentionally submitted this hoax for reasons known only by him. I don’t even believe the witness believes his implications that these jet aircraft are alien flying saucers in disguise. While I find these fake UFO reports frustrating, I am glad the witness submitted this hoax to TBV Investigations. There is a valuable benefit to these fake UFO reports. Investigations like this can be a benefit to other investigators and valuable archival reference data for future investigations.

My conclusion: Camera manipulation using an artificial light source (flashlight or laser pointer) at night with a slow camera shutter speed to create squiggly lens flares in video footage. Overexposed moon photo with lens flares. Intentional camera manipulation rendering an out of focus star to fake a UFO. And to top it off, an IMPLIED TALL-TALE of alien flying saucers disguising themselves as jet aircraft spraying toxic chemicals in our atmosphere to terraform the planet and take over the earth. Now that’s what I call a WHOPPER…

The post UFO over Porter, Texas – August 23, 2018 first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

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UFO over Knoxville, Tennessee -July 14, 2018

John Greenewald — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 16:51:58 +0000

Case File Status: Solved, out of focus celestial object (Star)

Background

Witness Kevin Lane submitted the following case to The Black Vault / TBV Investigations on 07/14/2018. It was assigned to TBV Investigator Jim Kerr for investigation and analysis.

Witness Testimony

Witness Lane submitted the following testimony which is unedited and appears as it was submitted.

“Large glowing object, it seems to change colors from inside out. It comes and goes and changes spots in the sky in a matter of seconds. It is bright orange but changes rapidly from orange to green to blue then back orange. I have tried looking through a telescope ( Walmart brand bought for my young son ) it does not zoom in close, but it looks like it is pulsating inside out. I have pics and video with my phone that I will try and upload.”

The Evidence

Witness Lane submitted one photograph.

The Analysis

By Jim Kerr, TBV Investigations

The witness stated he had additional photos and video of the object he witnessed. I requested he forward the additional data along with answers to questions I submitted to him. At the time of writing this report, the witness has not responded to my request. If the witness submits the additional requested information, I will add the information to this report; however, based on the single photograph submitted, I was able to resolve this case.

Weather

Knoxville, TN., 07/14/2018 at 10:00 pm. Source: Wunderground Weather Website.

At the time of the witness’ sighting, it was 81 degrees, Dewpoint 73 degrees, Humidity 77%, Wind speed ten mph SSW, and was cloudy.

Astronomy	Day Length	Rise	Set

Actual Time	14h 22m	6:31 AM	8:54 PM
Civil Twilight		6:02 AM	9:23 PM
Nautical Twilight		5:26 AM	9:59 PM
Astronomical Twilight		4:46 AM	10:39 PM
Moon: waxing crescent		7:11 AM	9:25 PM

Astronomical Data

Based on the witness’ description that the object was pulsating (twinkling) showing colors of orange, blue and green is consistent with stars. Two of the brightest stars were visible, Arcturus which is the 4^th brightest star and Vega which is the 5^th brightest star we see from earth.The visible planets Saturn, Jupiter, and Venus, can be ruled out as the object he observed because planets do no pulsate (twinkle) or change colors.

Refer to the article link below, Why do stars twinkle but planets don’t.

https://earthsky.org/space/why-dont-planets-twinkle-as-stars-do

Below: Excerpt from the above article. Credit, Deborah Byrd, EarthSky.com

Stars twinkle, while planets (usually) shine steadily. Why?

“Stars twinkle because … they’re so far away from Earth that, even through large telescopes, they appear only as pinpoints. And it’s easy for Earth’s atmosphere to disturb the pinpoint light of a star. As a star’s light pierces our atmosphere, each single stream of starlight is refracted – caused to change direction, slightly – by the various temperature and density layers in Earth’s atmosphere. You might think of it as the light traveling a zig-zag path to our eyes, instead of the straight path the light would travel if Earth didn’t have an atmosphere.”

“Planets shine more steadily because … they’re closer to Earth and so appear not as pinpoints, but as tiny disks in our sky. You can see planets as disks if you looked through a telescope, while stars remain pinpoints. The light from these little disks is also refracted by Earth’s atmosphere, as it travels toward our eyes. But – while the light from one edge of a planet’s disk might be forced to “zig” one way – light from the opposite edge of the disk might be “zagging” in an opposite way. The zigs and zags of light from a planetary disk cancel each other out, and that’s why planets appear to shine steadily.”

Photo credit, AstroBob, via The Random Science blog.

Screenshot from Stellarium depicting what witness Lane observed from his location in Knoxville, TN on 07/14/2018 at 10:00 pm. Photo contains data about Vega.

Screenshot from Stellarium depicting what witness Lane observed from his location in Knoxville, TN on 07/14/2018 at 10:00 pm. Photo contains data about Arcturus.

Conclusion

Upon analyzing and enlarging the witness’ photo, I immediately recognized the object as an out of focus or defocused star. I have conducted tests while filming celestial objects defocusing planets and stars and archiving those images and video footage. The witness claims to have used a cell phone to take the single photo he provided; however, the camera he used while defocused on the star captured the six aperture blades inside the camera’s lens depicting the object with a hexagon shape.

I stacked my photo of the Sirius over the witness’ photo for a comparison. Other than the color both images are very similar in shape. Without any doubt, the witness photographed a star, possibly Arcturus or Vega which were both visible in his night sky.

The vast majority of cell phone camera lenses do not use an adjustable aperture that opens and closes regulating the amount of light the camera sees, and the camera sensor controls the exposure. Cell phone camera lenses use a fixed aperture of f/1.8 in a higher priced smartphone or f/2.2 in less expensive phones. When taking a defocused photo of a star with a cell phone, we would not see any internal camera lens aperture bladed. We would see the defocused star as an Airy Disk. Due to the lack of answered questions from the witness along with his statement he would try and upload video and photos from his cell phone, I have formed the opinion the single photo he provided was taken with a conventional DSLR camera with a lens that contained an adjustable six-bladed aperture. Additionally, based on the photographic evidence alone and comparing my photo to the witness’ photo the only conclusion is the witness photographed a star. Basically, it doesn’t matter what camera was used by the witness as the evidence and conclusion is in the photographic comparison.

Note that the lens contains six aperture blades that form a hexagon in the center. Even with the aperture fully open it will have a hexagon shape. When a camera lens is de-focused on a star, the camera sensor (depending on the number of aperture blades in the lens) will capture the aperture blades depicting the out of focus star as a polygonal shape. In this case, the camera lens had six aperture blades and this is why we see the witness’ capture as a hexagon shaped object.

Misidentifying celestial objects as UFO’s is a common mistake. Sites like YouTube have thousands of mistaken captures filmed by individuals that believe they captured a UFO. Based on my experience, my archival photographic and video evidence, I believe with no doubt, the witness mistook either the star Arcturus or Vega as an unidentified flying object. Again, this is a common mistake.

In closing, I would like to thank witness Lane for submitting his case to TBV Investigations. I hope this investigation answers what he observed.

Additional Information

Do Cell Phone Cameras Have an Aperture and Shutter?

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UFO over Springfield, Ohio – August 2, 2018

John Greenewald — Sun, 18 Nov 2018 15:15:40 +0000

Case File Status: Likely Explainable, Lacks Sufficient Information

Background

This case was submitted to The Black Vault / TBV Investigations on August 3, 2018. It was assigned to investigator Paul Wright for analysis and investigation.

Witness Testimony

The witness submitted the following report:

“Went outside to leave for work and looked up and their it was.”

The Evidence

The witness submitted the following video with their short testimony above. It is offered here, unedited:

The Analysis

By Paul Wright, TBV Investigations

Using just the video evidence and no further contact with the witness since initial report submission, I will attempt to identify what the witnesses observed based on the following facts along with the witness statement.

The footage provided makes it difficult to ascertain direction, height, speed or reference for scale.

My first approach was to scan the metadata contained within the video, all seems ok and intact.

The video shows a cluster of white and red lights with a flashing sequence. In my opinion they closely resemble aircraft lights and if you listen carefully you can hear some aircraft engine noise. The light formation and flashing sequence indicate landing / takeoff lights.

See images below sourced from http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/electronics/q0263.shtml for the layout of lights on a commercial aircraft.

Example photograph of Boeing 737 showing common types of lights placed on aircraft sourced from http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/electronics/q0263.shtml

Google Maps was used to locate the witness sighting position, and to search the local area for airports.

2D Google Map showing at least 16 airports around Springfield.

Stellarium was used for the night sky date of 08/02/2018 5:00 AM to check for celestial objects. Direction of sighting unknown, therefore N,E,S,W images are included. See images below.

Weather for Springfield as 08/02/2018 5:00 AM – link here to Wunderground Belfontaine Weather Station
https://www.wunderground.com/history/daily/us/oh/bellefontaine/KEDJ/date/2018-8-2

Flight Radar historical data could be used in this case, however the direction of the sighting is unknown.

Conclusion

Based on the witness description and video evidence, I am inclined to say this is likely an aircraft either in approach to land or climbing after takeoff from one of the airports around Springfield, Ohio.

Additional Information

Meta Data

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“Flying Saucers” Sighted and Videoed Over Rosarito, Baja California – October 28, 2018

John Greenewald — Sun, 18 Nov 2018 05:08:02 +0000

Case File Status: Hoax/Explained, Evidence Below

Background

The following case file report was written by TBV Investigations’ researcher Jim Kerr.

On October 28^th, 2018, at approx 4:23 am, Esteban Zavala posted a live video to Instagram showing what he stated to be 5 UFO’s hovering over the city of Rosarito, Baja California. It was a foggy early morning in Rosarita with multiple illuminated objects that appeared to be hovering approx 100 ft above the ground. Later that day Zavala posted the same Instagram video titled, “UFO’s Hovering in Rosarito 2018”, to his YouTube channel named Esteban Zavala, (refer to the link below under credits). Within hours, Zavala’s video footage went viral worldwide across the internet, re-posted on UFO YouTube channels, UFO Blogs, Facebook, Twitter and more.

On November 6, 2018, John Greenewald, creator of “The Black Vault,” shared with his team of UFO Investigators an article titled, “One of the best UFO sightings filmed lately” which included Zavala’s video footage. We all viewed the video and came to the unanimous conclusion that what Zavala videoed were in fact street lights.

Even though the objects in Zavala’s video had already been solved and determined as street lights, we at TBV Investigations are publishing this information not only to educate the public but for necessary archival reference material. Our report is important documentation regarding how easy one can mistake street lights in foggy weather conditions for Flying Saucers, especially newly designed and installed circular LED street lights.

The Evidence

Witness Zavala’s written statement from his YouTube Channel.

“Today October 28, 2018, I witness 5 UFOs hovering over Rosarito, Baja California MX. At around 4:23 am I was driving back to San Diego, California with my grandmother. We were having a normal conversation when she suddenly went mute and all she could do was point at the sky. I look up and see 5 of these things hovering over homes and the beach. I pulled over and immediately went live on Instagram to avoid speculations of video editing and such. Share your thoughts.”

Screen grab from the video.

Investigative journalist, Ales Backman, is credited for determining these alleged Flying Saucers were new circular LED street lights recently installed for illuminating a recently constructed highway interchange along highway 1D.

Backman drove to Rosarito and videoed the location of the lights.

Backman’s video posted to YouTube Channel concienciaradio.

Below you will find screenshots from Backman’s video showing the circular LED street lights. Note the lens flare of the light fixture in the first photo.

Screenshot from Google Maps showing Highway 1D in Rosarito, Baja California. Depicted is an older image before completion and installation of the improved LED street lights. Credit Google maps.

Conclusion

After watching Zavala’s complete unedited video on his YouTube Channel, I truly believe he and his mother believed they witnessed multiple UFO’s over the town of Rosarito, Baja California. It is important to note that they were not traveling on the main highway 1D but a side road in foggy weather conditions. Had they been driving along highway 1D, I believe they would have seen that the lights were in fact highway lights.

I find it very sad that so many so-called UFO researchers and individuals on social media capitalized and exploited this video footage claiming the objects were real Flying Saucers. The aforementioned is a real problem in Ufology today and casts s a bad light on legitimate researchers. It is our goal at TBV Investigations to inform and educate the public and to reduce the exploitation of misidentified UFO sightings.

Credits / Special Thanks

Investigative journalist, Ales Backman. Thank you for taking the time to drive to Rosarito, video the sighting location and reveal the truth.

https://concienciaradio.com/

The post “Flying Saucers” Sighted and Videoed Over Rosarito, Baja California – October 28, 2018 first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

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UFO over Chesterfield, England – July 29, 2018

John Greenewald — Sat, 17 Nov 2018 15:22:06 +0000

Case File Status: Undetermined, Lacks Sufficient Evidence

Background

This case was submitted to The Black Vault / TBV Investigations on 09/20/2018 7:42 pm. It was assigned to investigator Paul Wright for analysis and investigation.

Witness Testimony

The witness submitted the following original report:

“I went to my patio door to let my cat in when I looked up to the west and saw what I first thought was a satellite, or a large bright star. As I watched it, it occurred to me that if it was a satellite then why is it still, so just guessed it was a star but was way too bright? Then as I was thinking this it started moving to the SW I suddenly got a bit scared so I rushed back in and got my mobile phone and followed the bright light, some of the movements are me moving the phone to fallow as it was pretty fast, there was also a airplane in the distance coming in on the South, this object made no noise and had no flashing lights on it, I did wonder if it was the space station but it was way too low for that and don’t know if it would have passed over our house. It then went East 85’0 into a cloud? But there were no clouds SW when I first saw the object it was very clear in that area and a few stars out. Sorry for the delay but your email went into my junk mail. Thank you for getting back to me. Kind regards Andrea”

Additional information received via email on 09/28/2018 9:26 pm

“Hi Paul
thank you for getting back to me, when I went out the patio door I first saw the object light in the W my door faces SW .
what a saw was a very bright large light couldn’t say it had a shape it was just very bright. It was very clear with lots of stars , that’s when at first I thought it was a star it was stationary but after a few seconds it started to move heading east, so I followed the bright object and it went into what was a cloud I would say maybe north east , I stopped filming but it didn’t come out and the cloud eventually went? I must say I was very shocked and disappointed that it didn’t reappear. My husband was working away and there was only me in the house, I don’t know if anyone else in our area saw anything? The air temperature I was not aware of I was in shock really, I was outside in the garden following the object so in clear view. Kind regards Andrea”

Additional information received via email on: 09/28/2018 9:35 pm

“Hi Paul
forget to describe the cloud it was a creamy white almond color I would have said it was almost like a oval shape or kinda pear shape, you couldn’t see in the video because my camera wouldn’t see because of the dark same for the stars that were out as well, I have been out most evening since trying to see if it comes again. If you need anymore information please ask.
with kind regards
Andrea”

Additional information received via email on 10/03/2018 11:01 am

“Hi Paul
yes that’s just as I saw the bright object, I also forgot to say my phone can’t video stars ? I have been out and tried it’s always to dark for my phone must be the exposure, that’s how bright the object was.
kind regards Andre”

Additional information received via email on 10/03/2018 11:14 am

“Hi Paul
just re-watched my footage and was not aware that night of it being windy ? But it clearly was at that moment and by the end of the sighting when it’s gone into the cloud the wind drops? Just a thought…
kind regards
Andrea”

Additional information received via email on 10/03/2018 2:11 pm

“Hi Paul
yes I had to follow the bright object starting from the west when I first spotted it, I wasn’t aware of anything like dust or debris , i have re-watched the video and I am sure the hedge in the garden is swaying , if you look as I am following the light with my phone it’s SE the object goes out of view because this is a very tall hedge and then we see it again before it goes into the cloud. The main road that passes through our housing area is one block away to the front and the back of our house, hope this makes sense? If you go on google maps you can see where I am and what I mean (REMOVED) England. Hope I have answered your question.
kind regards
Andrea”

The Evidence

The witness submitted the following video for analysis.

The Analysis

By Paul Wright, TBV Investigations

I will attempt to identify what the witnesses observed based on the following facts along with the witness video and statement.

I have created 2 images based on the witness’s testimony, (created using the multiple email replies above) that lead up to the ‘start’ of the video footage recorded by the witness. Please note that the video does not contain stars in contrast to visuals.

Stellarium was used for the night sky around the Chesterfield area on 07/29/2018 11:00 PM

There were satellite trajectories in the witness’s field of view, however its difficult to confirm whether they were visible to the naked eye at that time.

I checked the meta data in the video file and noticed the creation date was 20/09/2018 at 18:33 and not 07/29/2018 11:00 PM

Weather at time of sighting sourced from Time and Date 07/29/2018 11:00 PM

Google maps revealed 3 airports close by.

Conclusion

Based on the witness description and video, without further sufficient evidence I am unable to make a solid conclusion. Looking at the witness’s video it’s difficult to determine the movement of the light and the movement caused by the witness. Therefore I speculate this is most likely a commercial aircraft, however unable to determine.

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UFOs over Carbondale, Pennsylvania – July 7, 2018

John Greenewald — Fri, 26 Oct 2018 17:01:02 +0000

Case File Status: Undetermined, Lacks Sufficient Evidence

Background

The following case was submitted to The Black Vault / TBV Investigations. It originally came into the hotline, and was assigned to TBV Investigations’ researcher Richard Kidd for analysis.

Witness Testimony

The following was submitted by the witness:

“My neighbor Joe and I were enjoying several beers on my porch located in Carbondale, Pennsylvania. Shortly after midnight, we observed approx 6-7 LARGE Bright Orange Lights hovering in various formations over the homes across the street. These extremely bright objects seemed to appear and then slowly dim and disappear at will, and at certain times I personally could still see the objects themselves moving across the sky despite the lights being shut off.”

The Evidence

Original Photograph

Cropped and Zoomed

Cropped, Zoomed and Brightness Enhanced

The Analysis

After contacting the witness regarding his sighting, the witness was reluctant to provide additional information other than that he had the video and the still photographs. I requested a detailed accounting of what he witnessed but, his account hasn’t as of yet arrived. I have contacted the witness 3 times since our first discussion and, the witness has not been forthcoming with any other information nor did he submit the video.

An attempt was made to enhance the photograph above, but no additional details that were helpful could be determined.

Conclusion

I am recommending that this case be closed due to lack of evidence other that the photos that the witness has provided.

The post UFOs over Carbondale, Pennsylvania – July 7, 2018 first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

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UFO Witnessed Around The Cayman Islands on Cruise, May 24, 2018

John Greenewald — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 07:30:30 +0000

Case File Status: Undetermined / Lacks Sufficient Evidence

Background

This case was submitted to The Black Vault / TBV Investigations on . It was assigned to investigator Paul Wright for analysis.

Witness Testimony

The witness submitted the following report:

“Off the Cayman Islands on cruise. 30 to 40 fireball like ufos. It looked as if the closest one had spinning like wings or rotors. No sound.”

The Analysis

By Paul Wright, TBV Investigations

With the lack of video / photo evidence and no further contact with the witness since initial report submission, I will attempt to identify what the witnesses observed based on the following facts along with the witness statement.

I have created a visual representation based on the witness’ testimony, listed above.

Stellerium was used for the night sky around the Cayman Islands on the 24/05/2018 at 02:00 AM. 4 views were taken into account as an approximate location was unknown during the sighting.

North

East

South

West

Weather

Weather for the 24/05/2018 at 02:00 AM using AccuWeather

Source: https://www.accuweather.com/en/ky/george-town/53291/may-weather/53291?monyr=5/1/2018&view=table

As the location was unknown for the witness during the sighting just an aerial view of the Cayman Islands was used.

Conclusion

Based on the witness description and lack of sufficient evidence I am unable to make a solid conclusion. Case incomplete / unidentified.

The post UFO Witnessed Around The Cayman Islands on Cruise, May 24, 2018 first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

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“Square UFO” Photographs Go Viral – Kings Mountain, North Carolina – August 18, 2018

John Greenewald — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 16:45:57 +0000

Case File Status: Likely Explainable

Background

This case was acquired from media coverage from Charlotte Observer article by The Black Vault / TBV Investigations on 06/09/2018. It was assigned to investigator Paul Wright for analysis.

Witness Testimony

Interview article sourced from Charlotte Observer Sept 03, 2018 09:33 AM. The following is an excerpt from the article:

BY MARK PRICE

Another alleged UFO sighting near Charlotte has appeared on Facebook and in this case, it was posted by a husband and father who says he doesn’t necessarily believe in UFOs.

Javion Hill, 35, of Kings Mountain, North Carolina, says he took several photos of the object during a storm on the night of Aug. 18, as he drove on U.S. 74 southwest of Charlotte.

The images feature something square hovering above the treeline, with its edges fringed in lights. Hill told the Charlotte Observer the craft frightened him to the point that he didn’t sleep that night.

“I was on my way home with my wife on the speaker phone, and it looked like there was a tornado coming, so I was trying to take a picture of the clouds for my wife,” says Hill.

“But then I saw something that wasn’t normal and I was, like: ‘Oh my god, what is that?’ I started trying to take as many pictures of it as possible while I was driving.”

Hill says he pulled over at the next exit to try and get video, but the aircraft had vanished. A heavy rain followed instantly, he said.

Hill says what he saw is actually bigger than what is seen in the photo.

“ was worried for my safety,” he said. “I didn’t believe in UFOs until that moment.”

The Evidence

The following 2 photographs below were submitted to the media by the witness and used for analysis:

The Analysis

By Paul Wright, TBV Investigations

I will attempt to identify what the witnesses observed based on the following facts along with witness statements. (including photos x 2 sourced from the Charlotte Observer and Daily Mail)

The first original photograph has been enlarged. Next to that on the right hand side is a tweaked version of the original photograph. The levels and contrast have been tweaked.

The second original photograph has been enlarged. Next to that on the right hand side is a tweaked version of the original second photograph. The levels and contrast have been tweaked.

My first approach was to zoom / enlarge the 2 photographs and tweak the levels and contrast. It became obvious that the “UFO” was in fact a reflection.

The clouds and sky were visible through the reflections in both photographs.

The next challenge was to work out what the reflection was.

John Greenewald determined that the “light reflection” was possibly from a self illuminating phone case, which after researching the different types of illuminating cases very quickly became the most plausible assumption.

Image below of illuminating phone cases.

I researched the local area around U.S. 74 southwest of Charlotte just to get an idea of location, see Google map below.

Stellerium image for celestial objects on 18/08/2018 approximate position based on “U.S. 74 southwest of Charlotte”

Weather Information

Source: WUNDERGOUND

Temperature (° F)	Actual	Historic Avg.	Record
High Temp	84	0	95
Low Temp	71	0	62
Day Average Temp	78	0	–
Precipitation (Inches)	Actual	Historic Avg.	Record
Precipitation	0.68	0	1.07
Month to Date	0	0	–
Year to Date	0	0	–
Degree Days (° F)	Actual	Historic Avg.	Record
Heating Degree Days	0	0	–
HDD Month to Date	0	0	–
HDD Since July 1	0	0	–
Cooling Degree Days	12	0	–
CDD Month to Date	0	0	–
CDD Year to Date	0	0	–
Growing Degree Days	28	–	–
Dew Point (° F)	Actual	Historic Avg.	Record
Dew Point	71	–	–
High	74	–	–
Low	70	–	–
Average	71	–	–
Wind (MPH)	Actual	Historic Avg.	Record
Max Wind Speed	16	–	–
Visibility	10	–	–
Sea Level Pressure (Hg)	Actual	Historic Avg.	Record
Sea Level Pressure	30.12	–	–
Astronomy	Day Length	Rise	Set
Actual Time	13h 23m	6:49 AM	8:13 PM
Civil Twilight		6:23 AM	8:40 PM
Nautical Twilight		5:51 AM	9:12 PM
Astronomical Twilight		5:17 AM	9:45 PM
Moon: waxing gibbous		2:23 PM	12:29 AM

Conclusion

Based on the witness report and the 2 photographs it is extremely likely that the UFO is in fact a reflection of a self illuminating cell phone case.

The case could have been on the dashboard or somewhere else inside the car to create the reflection.

The post “Square UFO” Photographs Go Viral – Kings Mountain, North Carolina – August 18, 2018 first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

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UFO over Mayaguez, Puerto Rico – February 9, 2018

John Greenewald — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 06:04:24 +0000

Background

The following case was submitted to The Black Vault / TBV Investigations on March 2, 2018. It has no formal investigation, and is archived here for reference purposes.

Witness Testimony

The following was submitted by the witness:

“That night the electricity went off at 4:00 am. at 4:40 I decided to turn on the electric generator, and when I was on my way to the backyard to turn it on, I saw a very bright light in the sky. I though It was a planet and kept staring at it. Lo and behold the light began to “dance”. I was hypnotized by this beautiful spectacle, and remembered that I had my phone with me (I was using it as a flashlight). I only captured 15 seconds of the light. What is this? If you have the chance please look at it and let me know what I saw. The noise in the background is my neighbors electric generator (he has it automatic).”

The Evidence

The witness submitted the following video:

Conclusion

This case received no formal investigation.

The post UFO over Mayaguez, Puerto Rico – February 9, 2018 first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

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Nighttime Sightings - The Black Vault Case Files

The Vault Files: 1986 Alaska JAL Flight 1628

Alleged DHS “Rubber Duck” UAP Footage, November 23, 2019

Case File Status: Information Case Only; No Formal Analysis by The Black Vault. The Black Vault holds no position of what the video depicts, and offers this page for the community to analyze all information available.

Last Update: 10/7/2021

Background

The Video Evidence

The Best Resolution Available

.zip file [4.16GB]

The YouTube Upload

Luis Elizondo Comments

Video Analysis – Dave Falch

Analysis – Mick West

Conclusion

The Black Vault holds no position of what the video depicts, and offers this page for the community to analyze all information available.

UFO Sightings Reported Yearly in Pennsylvania by Stan Gordon

The Government Needs To Be More Forthcoming About The Ongoing UFO Mystery: UFO Sightings Reported Yearly in Pennsylvania by Stan Gordon

Encounters with Mini-UFOs

What are we dealing with?

UFO over Florahome, Florida – August 11, 2019

Case File Status: Information Case Only; No Formal Investigation

Witness Testimony

The Evidence

The Analysis

Conclusion

Tom DeLonge UFO Video: California – Tijuana, Mexico 3/31/20

Case File Status: Likely Identifiable. See Below.

Background

Witness Testimony

The Evidence

Video #1

Video #2

Video #3

Video #4

Tom DeLonge’s UFO Sighting Video

The Analysis & Investigation

“Multiple Orb Videos”

2018 Identical Case – Aircraft Flares

Tom DeLonge’s UFO Video

Still Frame Captures

Conclusion

Update April 14, 2020

About The Investigators On This Case

Jim Kerr Jim.Kerr@theblackvault.com

John Greenewald, Jr. (CALIFORNIA) The Black Vault / TBV Investigations Founder

UFO Seen in Cooroy, Queensland, Australia, December 29, 2017

Case File Status: Solved, Lens Flares

Background

Witness Testimony

Weather: Historical source from wunderground.com

Astronomical Historical Data from Stellarium

Analysis

Conclusion

References/Helpful Information

UFO over Westbound Mass Turnpike, November 9, 2019

Case File Status: Information Case Only; No Formal Investigation

Background

Witness Testimony

The Evidence

UFO over Apple Valley, California – August 9, 2019

Case File Status: Information Case Only; No Formal Investigation

Background

Witness Testimony

Conclusion

UFO over Avon, Ohio – August 01, 2018

Case File Status: Likely Explainable; Lacks Sufficient Evidence

Background

Witness Testimony

The Analysis

Conclusion

Paranormal Portal Opens Over Elko, Nevada – April 2015 (Hoax)

Case File Status: Hoax

Background

Witness Testimony

Telephone Interview

The Evidence

Unedited Video Footage Submitted by the Witness

Edited Video Footage Submitted by the Witness

The Analysis

Weather and Astronomical Data

Case File Status: Information Case Only; No Formal Analysis by The Black Vault.
The Black Vault holds no position of what the video depicts, and offers this page for the community to analyze all information available.

Jim Kerr
Jim.Kerr@theblackvault.com

John Greenewald, Jr. (CALIFORNIA)
The Black Vault / TBV Investigations Founder

Case File Status: Fraudulent report submitted to MUFON.
Witness plagiarized a photo owned by Jim Kerr.

Case File Status: Undetermined
Lacks Sufficient Evidence / No Witness Contact