Pilot 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

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America West Airlines Flight 564 UFO Case – May 25, 1995

John Greenewald — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 12:40:52 +0000

Information Case Only; No Formal Investigation by The Black Vault

Background

A Boeing 757 piloted by Captain Eugene Tollefson and First Officer John J. Waller, was passing near Bovina, Texas. Captain Tollefson left his seat to look [at a line of regularly flashing lights]. As the lightning flashed behind the lights, it silhouetted something that to the observers appeared to be a large, dark, cigar shaped object between 300 and 500 feet in length.

The following article is saved here for archival purposes. It was originally published here, but has long disappeared.

By Roy Lawhon

Photograph of an America West Boeing 757.

“Cactus 564” was a routine America West flight that began in Tampa, Florida. The final leg of the flight was from Dallas/Forth Worth into Las Vegas, the ultimate destination.

On the night of May 25, 1995, Flight 564, a Boeing 757 piloted by Captain Eugene Tollefson and First Officer John J. Waller, was passing near Bovina, Texas, just across the state line from Clovis, New Mexico at about 9:25 MST. There were thunderstorms to the northeast, and the lead flight attendant was watching the lightning flashes in the night sky.

This flight attendant was the first to notice a line of regularly flashing lights in the sky to the north and below the airliner. The First Officer then saw them as well, and they observed a horizontal row of eight strobe-like lights, flashing on and off in sequence from left to right.

The lights, which were as bright as aircraft landing lights, were at an altitude of between 30,000 and 35,000 feet, and were bright white with a tinge of blue.

Captain Tollefson left his seat to look, and he saw the left to right sequencing lights also. As the lightning flashed behind the lights, it silhouetted something that to the observers appeared to be a large, dark, cigar shaped object between 300 and 500 feet in length, depending on how far away it was.

After about five minutes of observing the object, Flight 564 called Albuquerque Air Traffic Control to report the object. Albuquerque ATC noted that the position of the object was over a restricted military area called “Tieband.” The controller also noted that the description sounded similar to that of a tethered aerostat except for the large number of strobes. However, the controller contacted sites that would know if an aerostat or any other military aircraft were in the air that night, and was given negative responses all around. The controller contacted other aircraft in the area, but no one else was able to see what Flight 564 saw.

The controller then contacted NORAD, who at first reported nothing on their radar at that location, then called back and said they had an unidentified return in that area, then called back again and said that the radar return had been a common small airplane with a malfunctioning transponder. An air traffic controller later said that there was yet another call from NORAD reporting that they later did have an unknown at that precise location, but this has never been corroborated. There is a transcript of the controller’s radio conversations at UFO Plaza and there is a Real Audio excerpt of the conversations from the “Sightings” TV program at Cosmic Videos

No satisfactory explanation has ever been found for the Flight 564 sighting.

Another article archived here, was written by the Fund for UFO Research or FUFOR.

by Walter N. Webb, Final Report on the America West Airline Case, May 25-26, 1995

Airline Crew Reports Cigar With Pulsing Lights

A cigar-shaped object with a row of brightly flashing lights along its length was observed over the Texas panhandle by the crew of a westward bound America West B-757 airliner on May 25, 1995. The case was thoroughly investigated by Walter N. Webb on behalf of the UFO Research Coalition, who interviewed the crew and air traffic controllers. Webb also obtained a copy of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) voice tapes of conversations between airplane and ground during the sighting.

America West Flight 564 was cruising at 39,000 feet near Bovina, Texas, en route from Tampa, Florida, to Las Vegas, Nevada. First Officer John J. Waller and a flight attendant saw, off to their right and somewhat below their altitude, a row of bright white lights which sequenced on and off from left to right. Waller contacted the Albuquerque FAA Air Route Traffic Control Center while the sighting was in progress and checks were made with military installations in the area, but no explanation could be found.

As the airliner proceeded westward, the lights began dropping behind. Then they observed the phenomenon against a background of dark thunderclouds. When the background clouds pulsed with lightning, they could see the silhouette of a dark, wingless, elongated cigar-like object around the strobing lights.

Though they did not know the object’s exact distance, the pilot and co-pilot estimated its length to be 300-400 feet.

Air traffic controllers said the object was not visible on FAA radar. One of them contacted the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD), which monitors North American air space by radar, and said that NORAD had confirmed an unidentified radar track in the vicinity. This later proved to be a small aircraft whose transponder was not initially operative.

Next morning the controller said he had checked with NORAD again and was told that they had tracked another, very unusual target in the same general area a short time after the first–something that at first was stationary, then accelerated rapidly and stopped abruptly, repeating this sequence several times. The bursts of speed were computed to be between 1,000 and 1,400 m.p.h. This report, based on the testimony of one air traffic controller, could not be confirmed independently.

Webb filed Freedom of Information Act requests for Government information about the case, and also checked military installations for any activities that might explain the sighting, but no known object or phenomenon could be found that correlated with the sighting.

Audio Transcript of ATC Recordings

The below was archived by UFO Casebook.

** They have not been authenticated officially (obtained from an official source) by The Black Vault, though at this point, there is no direct concern they are fabricated.

9:21pm…
AW-564: “Cactus 564 going direct crow, crow 6 arrival Las Vegas.”
ABQ: “Cactus 564…Albuquerque Center…good evening”
AW-564: “564 at 39,000′”

9:29pm…

AW-564: “Cactus 564…off to our 3:00, got some strobes out there.
Could you tell us what it is?”
ABQ: “Uh, Uh..I’ll tell you what, that’s some, uh..right now
…I don’t know what it is right now. That is a
restricted area that is used by the military out there
during the day time.”
AW-564: “Yeah…it’s pretty odd.”
ABQ: “Hold on …let me see if anybody else knows around here.”

9:30pm…

AW-564: “Cactus 564..can you paint that object at all on your radar
ABQ: “Cactus 564…No I don’t, and in talkin’ to 3 or 4 guys
around here no one knows what that is, never heard about
that.”
AW-564: “Cactus 564…nobody’s painting it at all?”
ABQ: “Cactus 564 say again?”
AW-564: “I said there’s nothing on their radars on the other centers
at all on that (garbled) clear area, …that object that’s
up in the air?
ABQ: “Uh?..it’s up in the air?”
AW-564: “A-FFIRMATIVE!!”
ABQ: “No…no one knows anything about it.”
What’s the altitude about?”
AW-564: “I don’t know, probably right around 30,000 or so. And it’s
uh…there’s a strobe that starts..um, going on counter-
clockwise, and uh…the length is unbelievable.”
(???): “Where’s this?”

(NOTE: The last question above cannot be readily identified as having come
from the Albuquerque FAA controller. Perhaps it was, however since a conversation
with Cannon AFB began just at this point it could well indicate that the conversation
was being monitored. The very next statement heard is the Albuquerque FAA
controller calling to Cannon AFB.)

9:31pm…

ABQ: “Cannon 121?”
CANNON: “Cannon..go ahead”
ABQ: “Do you guys know if there was anything like a tethered
balloon released that should be above ‘tieband’?”
CANNON: “Uh, no, we haven’t heard nothin’ about it.”
(BOTH)” “Uh, ok..(some chuckling), uh, ha..”
ABQ: “A guy at 39,000 says he sees something at 30,000 that’s as,
..the length is unbelievable and it has a strobe on it.”
CANNON: “Uh huh…?”
ABQ: “This is NOT good..(laughing)..okay…”
CANNON: “Uh, wha..what does that mean?:
ABQ: “(laughing)..I don’t know, it’s a ufo or something, it’s that
Roswell crap again!”
CANNON: “Where’s it at now?”
ABQ: “He says it’s right in ‘tieband’.”
CANNON: “It’s right in ‘tieband’?”
ABQ: “Yeah!”
CANNON: “No, we haven’t seen nothin’ like that.”
ABQ: “Okay, keep your eyes open.”
CANNON: “I’ll talk to you (mumbled).”

9:34pm…

ABQ: “Cactus 564…we checked with Cannon and they don’t have
any, uh, weather balloons or anything up tonight. Nobody
up front knows any idea about that. Do you still see it?”
AW-564: “Negative..back where we initially spotted it it was between
the weather and us and when there’s lightning you could
see a dark object…and, uh, it was pretty eerie looking.
This ‘air coptr..(mumbled)’ right here going eastbound…
maybe he’ll see it.”
ABQ: “Okay..”
AW-564: “First time in 15 years I’ve ever seen anything like this.
It’s probably military in that restricted area.”
ABQ: “Cactus 564..you contact Albuquerque Center 132.8,
goodnight.”
AW-564: “132.8 contact 564.”

Just then it sounds like another person in another aircraft breaks
in on the conversation. It is never clear just what type of aircraft this is
but the individual has clearly overheard the recent discussion.

9:35pm…

ABQ: “Aircraft calling..try again!”
(?): “Center…uh..got time for a quick question?”
ABQ: “Okay..would the question stand-by one please?…
…okay..go ahead.”
(?): “(mumbled) 781, what was that cactus guy talking about he
saw?”
ABQ: “I, I don’t know, off your right wing about 15-20 miles.
He’s saying he saw a large object with a strobe that looked
like it was at 30,000 feet.”
(?): “Ah…it’s that secret stuff!”

9:36pm…

AW-564: “Albuquerque…Cactus 564.”
ABQ: “Cactus 564..go ahead.”
AW-564: “(garbled)..that passed us earlier on the right. He’ll be in
the area in a few minutes, is that correct?”
ABQ: “Yeah, he’ll be in there in about 3-4 minutes, at 27,000.
I’ll ask him what he sees.”
AW-564: “..be at his left-hand side between him and the thunder
storm. Thanks alot, we’ll just monitor and listen.”
ABQ: “Okay.”
AW-564: “Three of us up here saw it!!”
ABQ: “Okay.”

After a minute or so Albuquerque Center starts up a conversation
with another aircraft. Again it is unclear at first what aircraft this is as
there was no identification given and this aircraft does not preface
it’s transmissions with any identifier. A bit later a statement is directed
to “Hawk 85” which appears to be the aircraft in question.

9:31pm…

ABQ: “I can’t find…in the next 2-3 minutes. Be looking off your
right side, if you see anything about 30000 feet, we had
one aircraft reporting simething that wasn’t a weather
balloon or anything. It was a long white looking thing with
a strobe on. Let me know if you see anything out there.
(?): “I’ll be careful..(garbled)”
ABQ: “He said it was about 30,000′.”
(?): “(mumbled) I’m searching for ET.”

9:40pm…

ABQ: “Cactus 564…you still up?”
AW-564: “Affirmative! 564”
ABQ: “That was south of your position?”
AW-564: “It was north..”
ABQ: “Hawk 85, let’s make it out the left window then.”
AW-564: “Albuquerque, can we get a chance..Cactus 564.”
ABQ: “You know we’re all up here huddled up talking about it. When
it lightning’d you could see the dark object. It was like a
cigar shape from the altitude that we could see it..and the
length is what go us, a…sort of confused, because it
looked like it was about 300-400 feet long. So I don’t know
if it’s a wire with a strobe on it, but the strobe would
start from the left and go right, counter-clockwise…and
it was a pretty eerie looking site, but a, had the strobe..

At this point in the tape copy I received there appeared to have
been some problem as there was a brief approximately 1/3 second
solid tone like a dialtone. Then there was a strong transmission like
another broadcast trying to cut in. The previous conversation continued
briefly and the tone appears again followed by another request to “Albuquerque Radio”.

9:41pm…

(brief but solid strong tone heard)
(?): “ALBQUERQUE RADIO?…ALBUQUERQUE RADIO?”
AW-564?: “..and it was just in the lightning…”
(?): (solid strong tone heard again)
(?) “ALBUQUERQUE RADIO?”
ABQ: “Yeah…is this one any better?”
(?): “Yeah.”
ABQ: “Oh good! Ha..hey you guys don’t know anything about some
kind of weather balloon or a ufo that’s out in the vicinity
of Fort Sumner tonight do you?”
(?) “I don’t think so…standby.”
ABQ: “Okay..”
(?): “At this point the answer to that question is ‘no’.”
ABQ: “Okay..yeah, this guy sees it up at Tucumcari, says it looks
like it’s 300-400 foot long, cylindrical, some kind of
strobe on it, and everything else.”
(?) “Well…I would call it…I don’t know what it is..yea.”
ABQ: “Yeah, okay…I didn’t know if you were a science fiction
buff or anything.”
(?) “Yea..no, we don’t have, we don’t have any published “high
balls” today.”
ABQ: “Okay..appreciate it.”
(?): “Mmm hmm…bye.”

9:42pm…

AW-564: “Albuquerque, 564…last time…just for our notes we’re
going to take a message. was that in a restricted area..and
that was just basically south of Tucumcari when we reported
it?”
ABQ: “Okay…the way you went through, the only restricted area
was on your south side, nothing to the north side…and
those restricted areas are inactive. There shouldn’t be
anything going on.”

9:44pm…

AW-564: “Albuquerque Center..Cactus 564. Thanks for your help and,
uh, could we get your call sign?”
ABQ: “Cactus 564…say again?”
AW-564: “Albuquerque Center..Cactus564..We’ll talk to you later.
Before we go could we get your call-sign?”
ABQ: “Cactus 564…mine is ‘PP’.”
AW-564: “Was that ‘tango golf’?”
ABQ: “Pappa Pappa.”
AW-564: “Pappa Pappa…thanks alot.”

(End of Side 1, Tape 1..)

9:48pm…

ABQ: “Bigfoot…Albuquerque Sector 87.”
BIGFOOT: “Bigfoot’s on!”
ABQ: “Yea..I’ve got a, uh, something unusual and I was wanting
to know if you’all happen to know of anything going on
out here around Tucumcari, New Mexico,…north of Cannon?
I had a couple of aircraft reported something 300-400 foot
long..cylindrical in shape, with a strobe flashing off to
the end of it.”
BIGFOOT: “Oh..?”
ABQ: “At 30,000 feet.”
BIGFOOT: “Okay…hang on a second.”
ABQ: “Yeah, I didn’t know if you happen to know of anything
going on out there…no balloons in the area, no nothing
reported?”
BIGFOOT: “Okay, where’s this at again?”
ABQ: “It’s at, uh, well ya’know where…it’s in Tucumcar, New
Mexico, it’s about 150 miles to the east of Albuquerque.”
BIGFOOT: “Okay, eh…how far from Holloman?”
ABQ: “Eh, Holloman, it looks like it’s off the zero-three-zero
of Holloman about 220 miles.”
BIGFOOT: “Okay…I think, okay…it’s kind’a hard for us to see here.
Okay, they’ll be zero for about 200. Um…we don’t have
anything going on over there that I know of.”
ABQ: “Yeah…I didn’t know, we’ve tried everybody else and
nobody else is…this guy definitely saw it run all the way
down the side of the airplane. Said it was a pretty
interesting thing out there.”
BIGFOOT: “Okay, it was at 30,000 feet..”
ABQ: “…30,000 feet.”
BIGFOOT: “It was like..long…um..”
ABQ: “Yeah, it’s right out of, right out of the X-files. I mean
definite UFO or something like that, I mean.”
BIGFOOT: “..and..it..ooohh..ya’ll are serious about this (laughing).”
ABQ: “Yeah, he’s real serious about that to, and..uh..he looked
at, saw it, no balloons are reported tonight, nothing in
the area…”
BIGFOOT: “It was strobing off the front he said?”
ABQ: “Uh…I think the strobe was off the tail end of it.”
BIGFOOT: “Okay…strobe tail end.”
ABQ: “He said it was kinda, well it was dark but..(aside to
someone else)..did he say there was lights in it?”
BIGFOOT: “How long did he say it was?”
ABQ: “He said it was 300-400 foot long.”
BIGFOOT: “Holy smoke!!”
ABQ: “..and we don’t have any air carriers out here so…that
strobing along.”
BIGFOOT: “um..the only thing that I can do is , I wonder if any of
our aerostats cut loose or something ’cause we don’t
have any aerostats there.”
ABQ: “Yeah…not that far to the north.”
BIGFOOT: “I mean…to me it would sound like an aerostat, but..I
don’t think ours are that big though.”

The post America West Airlines Flight 564 UFO Case – May 25, 1995 first appeared on The Black Vault Case Files.

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Astronaut Gordon Cooper Talks About UFOs on Paranormal Borderline

John Greenewald — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 13:25:08 +0000

This video documents Gordon Cooper’s UFO sightings. It originally aired in 1996/1997 (exact airdate unknown) on the television series The Paranormal Borderline, hosted by Jonathan Frakes.

Biography of Gordon Cooper

PERSONAL DATA: Born March 6, 1927 in Shawnee, Oklahoma. His interests included treasure hunting, archeology, racing, flying, skiing, boating, hunting and fishing. Gordon Cooper passed away on October 4, 2004, at his home in Ventura, California, at the age of 77.

EDUCATION: Attended primary and secondary schools in Shawnee, Oklahoma and Murray, Kentucky; received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in 1956; recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Science degree from Oklahoma City University in 1967.

ORGANIZATIONS: The Society of Experimental Test Pilots, The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, The American Astronautical Society, The Blue Lodge Masons, The York Rite Masons, The Scottish Rite Masons, The Royal Order of Jesters, The Sojourners, The Rotary Club, The Daedalians, The Confederate Air Force, The Boy Scouts of America, The Girl Scouts of America.

SPECIAL HONORS: The Air Force Legion of Merit, The Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross, The Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross Cluster, The NASA Exceptional Service Medal, The NASA Distinguished Service Medal, USAF Command Astronaut Wings, The Collier Trophy, The Harmon Trophy, The Scottish Rite 33, The York Rite Knight of the Purple Cross, The DeMolay Legion of Honor, The John F. Kennedy Trophy, The Ivan E. Kincheloe Trophy, The Air Force Association Trophy, The Primus Trophy, The John Montgomery Trophy, The General Thomas E. White Trophy, The Association of Aviation Writers Award, The University of Hawaii Regents Medal, The Columbus Medal, The Silver Antelope, The Sport Fishing Society of Spain Award.

EXPERIENCE: Cooper, an Air Force Colonel, received an Army commission after completing three years of schooling at the University of Hawaii. He transferred his commission to the Air Force and was placed on active duty by that service in 1949 and given flight training.

His next assignment was with the 86th Fighter Bomber Group in Munich, Germany, where he flew F-84s and F-86s for four years. While in Munich, he also attended the European Extension of the University of Maryland night school.

He returned to the United States and, after two years of study at AFIT, received his degree. He then reported to the Air Force Experimental Flight Test School at Edwards Air Force Base, California, and, upon graduating in 1957, was assigned as an aeronautical engineer and test pilot in the Performance Engineering Branch of the Flight Test Division at Edwards. His responsibilities there included the flight testing of experimental fighter aircraft.

He logged more than 7,000 hours flying time–4,000 hours in jet aircraft. He had flown all types of Commercial and General aviation airplane and helicopters.

NASA EXPERIENCE: Colonel Cooper was selected as a Mercury astronaut in April 1959.

On May 15-16, 1963, he piloted the “Faith 7” spacecraft on a 22-orbit mission which concluded the operational phase of Project Mercury. During the 34 hours and 20 minutes of flight, Faith 7 attained an apogee of 166 statute miles and a speed of 17,546 miles per hour and traveled 546,167 statute miles.

Cooper served as command pilot of the 8-day 120-revolution Gemini 5 mission which began on August 21, 1965. It was on this flight that he and pilot Charles Conrad established a new space endurance record by traveling a distance of 3,312,993 miles in an elapsed time of 190 hours and 56 minutes. Cooper also became the first man to make a second orbital flight and thus won for the United States the lead in man-hours in space by accumulating a total of 225 hours and 15 minutes.

He served as backup command pilot for Gemini 12 and as backup commander for Apollo X.

Colonel Cooper logged 222 hours in space.

He retired from the Air Force and NASA in 1970.

BUSINESS EXPERIENCE:

From 1962 to 1967, he was President of Performance Unlimited, Inc., a manufacturer and distributor of race and Marine engines, and fiberglass boats.
From 1963 to 1967, he was President of GCR, Inc. They designed, tested and raced championship cars at Indianapolis and other USAC tracks, conducted tire tests for Firestone Tire and Rubber Company and pioneered turbine engine installation on cars.
From 1965 to 1970, he was President of Teletest, Inc. They designed, installed and tested various systems using advanced Telemetry.
From 1966 to 1969, he participated with Doubloon, Inc., on design, construction, and utilization of Treasure Hunting equipment.
From 1968 to 1969, he participated with Cosmos, Inc., on Archeology exploration projects.
From 1968 to 1970, he was part owner and race project manager of the Profile Race Team. He also designed, raced and constructed high performance boats.
From 1968 to 1970, he was a Technical Consultant for corporate acquisitions and public relations for the Republic Corp.
From 1967 to 1969, he was Technical Consultant for design and construction of various automotive production items for General Motors, Ford and Chrysler Motor Companies.
From 1970 to 1972 he was Member of the Board of Directors and Technical Consultant for developing technical products and public relations in land development projects for Canaveral International, Inc.
From 1970 to 1975, he was President of the consulting firm Gordon Cooper & Associates, Inc. They specialized in technical projects ranging from airline and aerospace fields to land and hotel development.
From 1970 to 1974, he was on the Board of Directors for APECO which produced and marketed modular homes, computer systems, office systems, copy machines and boats and marine equipment.
From July 1972 to June 1973, he was a Member of Board of Directors and Technical Consultant for Campco, a corporation which built campers and mobile homes.
From August 1972 to December 1973, He was on the Board of Directors and a Technical Consultant for design and production of various advanced electronic systems for LowCom Systems, Inc.
From 1972 to 1973, he was on the Board of Directors and a Technical Consultant for design and construction of lifting, inflatable, steerable foils which could land cargo and/or personnel at a precise spot for Aerofoil Systems, Inc.
From July 1973 to January 1974, he was Vice President and member of the Board of Directors for Craftech Corporation. They specialized in the design and construction of economical homes, garages, storage buildings, and hangers of Craftboard and fiberglass.
From January 1973 to 1975, he was Chairman of the Board for Constant Energy Systems, Inc.
From January 1973 to 1975, he was Vice President for Research and Development/EPCOT for Walter E. Disney Enterprises, Inc., the research and development subsidiary of Walt Disney Productions.

Background on UFO Sightings

Cooper claimed to have seen his first UFO while flying over West Germany in 1951, although he denied reports he had seen a UFO during his Mercury flight.

In 1957, when Cooper was 30 and a Captain, he was assigned to Fighter Section of the Experimental Flight Test Engineering Division at Edwards AFB in California. He acted as a test pilot and project manager. On May 3 of that year, he had a crew setting up an Askania Cinetheodolite precision landing system on a dry lake bed. This cinetheodolite system would take pictures at one frame per second as an aircraft landed. The crew consisted of James Bittick and Jack Gettys who began work at the site just before 0800, using both still and motion picture cameras. According to his accounts, later that morning they returned to report to Cooper that they saw a “strange-looking, saucer-like” aircraft that did not make a sound either on landing or take-off.

According to his accounts, Cooper realized that these men, who on a regular basis have seen experimental aircraft flying and landing around them as part of their job of filming those aircraft, were clearly worked up and unnerved. They explained how the saucer hovered over them, landed 50 yards away from them using three extended landing gears and then took off as they approached for a closer look. Being photographers with cameras in hand, they of course shot images with 35mm and 4×5 still cameras as well as motion picture film. There was a special Pentagon number to call to report incidents like this. He called and it immediately went up the chain of command until he was instructed by a general to have the film developed (but to make no prints of it) and send it right away in a locked courier pouch. As he had not been instructed to not look at the negatives before sending them, he did. He said the quality of the photography was excellent as would be expected from the experienced photographers who took them. What he saw was exactly what they had described to him. He did not see the movie film before everything was sent away. He expected that there would be a follow up investigation since an aircraft of unknown origin had landed in a highly classified military installation, but nothing was ever said of the incident again. He was never able to track down what happened to those photos. He assumed that they ended up going to the Air Force’s official UFO investigation, Project Blue Book, which was based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

He held claim until his death that the U.S. government was indeed covering up information about UFOs. He gave the example of President Harry Truman who he claimed said on April 4, 1950, “I can assure you that flying saucers, given that they exist, are not constructed by any power on Earth.” He also pointed out that there were hundreds of reports made by his fellow pilots, many coming from military jet pilots sent to respond to radar or visual sightings from the ground. In his memoirs, Cooper wrote he had seen other unexplained aircraft several times during his career, and also said hundreds of similar reports had been made. He further claimed these sightings had been “swept under the rug” by the U.S. government. Throughout his later life Cooper expressed repeatedly in interviews he had seen UFOs and described his recollections for the documentary Out of the Blue. Special thanks to Wikipedia for this section.

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Two Dramatic Mid-Air UFO Near Misses In 1967

John Greenewald — Mon, 28 Mar 2016 23:53:36 +0000

The following two encounters were excerpted from: Aviation Safety in America – A Previously Neglected Factor by Richard F. Haines, Chief Scientist. They are excerpted here for reference.

National Aviation Reporting Center on Anomalous Phenomena

– NARCAP –

October 15, 2000

January, 1967
Night UP SW New Mexico

Jimmie Moran, a passenger on a Lear Jet 23 en route to Las Vegas, NV from Houston, Hobby Airport, Texas was the first to sight the bright red light associated with a sharply defined object ahead of them at their 10 o’clock position in the dark sky. He was seated on the left-hand side of the passenger cabin. Flying at FL410 to the NW just beyond jetway J-86 which ended at El Paso, the pilot, Carl M., filed for a direct flight to Winslow (AZ) on a heading of 300 degrees. He was delivering the new aircraft to its owner. An unnamed FO was also on board and saw the UAP which kept pace with the jet off its left-hand side for 29 minutes. Their airspeed was 300 kts. (Mach 0.82). In the pilot’s own words, I told Jimmie and the other passengers in the back, that maybe it was a light on a weather balloon. A few minutes later my passengers called me again, saying the bright red light was moving, so I told them that the light was in a military flight training block, so it might be a military plane.The light had a red ray below the light towards the ground and about 2000 ft. below the first light, a second oval light appeared, then a third light, and then a fourth, said Capt. M. Each had a red ray of about 2000 ft. from one to the other. Then the lights retracted one at a time until there was one light shining bright red. Then it ran the lights down again, but at a 40 degree angle. And then retracted the lights the same way. Capt. M. then radioed Albuquerque Center to inquire if they showed any aircraft at their 9 to 10 o’clock position. They replied they did not have any transponder signal there.

At this moment the UAP’s light extinguished for 30 seconds and came back on again. Then Albuquerque Radar (AR) called me and said they had the object on their radar… 39 miles west of our aircraft and moving at the same heading. Next Albuquerque Radar contacted a National Airlines DC-8 then over Casa Grande, AZ heading for Houston and learned from its captain that . ..he had been watching the light and said it did everything the Captain on the Lear Jet said it was doing. AR asked the DC-8 captain if he would like to make a UFO report, and the captain said no. AR asked the captain for his name, and he told them it was none of their damn business. It was at this point that the frightfully close near miss occured. In the pilot’s own words, AR called me to tell me the object was closing in on me, and before they finished telling me, the vehicle was so close that the blips on the radar screen became one. [The captain’s sketch of his cockpit window outline shows the UAP filling at least 75 percent of the window’s forward area!] The red light was so bright that when I looked up from the instrument Panel and would look back at the panel my eyes were having trouble ajusting (sic) each time to the panel white lights. At this close formation the encounter lasted 29 minutes.. .. My passengers in the back were hollering at me to get them away from the object… After a few minutes the bright red light of the vehicle went out, but I could not get a good look at the vehicle, because my eyes couldn’t adjust to the darkness before the vehicle turned the bright light back on. Then the vehicle slowed down [meaning unclear]to the point that I pulled away from him.

The passengers were overjoyed when the light went behind the left engine… But that was short lived. The vehicle passed us up at a speed so that the red light was trailing the object like a comet for as much as 150 yards. It slowed down again, which allowed me to overtake the vehicle at Winslow. We both made a left turn over Winslow at 41,000 feet. The UAP remained with the jet to beyond Flagstaff (where the aircraft was now under Los Angeles Center control which, the captain learned, also had the UAP on their radar). The captain said, My passengers were still hollering and in a panic for me to get them away from the vehicle. The UAP finally accelerated to the west at a 30 degree climb angle when we were only fifteen minutes from landing at Las Vegas. No official inquiry was made of this high altitude encounter. (Pilot report form)

_____ October 27, 1967
0300L UP NE Jacksonville
(Atlantic Ocean)

This fascinating aerial encounter involved Charlie Little, pilot of a Piper-Twin Commanche PA-30 (N7942Y). He was multi-engine rated and a flight instructor. Two other commercially rated pilots, and a passenger were also on board. Having taken off from Opa-Locka, FL to Morristown, NJ, they were headed ENE at 8,000 feet altitude in uncontrolled airspace under an IFR flight plan but were in radio contact with Jacksonville ARTCC for safety reasons. Stars were visible in the dark sky.

Ground control helped them maintain a correct heading when their two VORs apparently displayed significantly large angular deviations toward the east. About half-way between Jacksonville and Charleston, SC over the ocean at least three of the occupants saw a light moving across the sky and interpreted it to be a commercial flight at high altitude bound for Miami. But the light began to descend and approach their airplane. The pilot radioed radar control to inquire if any other traffic was seen in their vicinity (now at their one o’clock position high and seemingly southbound). The answer was negative. Little turned his landing and taxi lights on. He said (later), As the light came closer and closer, it was very apparent that we were going to pass very close and that the aircraft was not making any move to avoid us. He then asked for permission to descend immediately… We may need all the way to the deck immediately. He received permission to do so even though permission was not legally required. Under the circumstances, he was probably trying to set an example of extra-safe procedures for the benefit of the other two pilots on board. Little then disengaged the autopilot, pulled the throttle back and pushed the wheel forward …trying to avoid a head-on collision. We descended to 6,500 feet but the lights came closer and closer. Then they saw not one but six, huge, round, bright, white lights in a (horizontal) row. A collision seemed imminent. Panicking, I yelled, ‘We can’t get away from him!’ The situation seemed hopeless; there was no way to avoid him. We were all going to die because the pilot in the other craft wasn’t paying attention. Little had to shield his eyes with his hands the lights were so intense. Suddenly, a soft green light was all over our cockpit. At the very instant of collision, …the craft made an unbanked 180 degree turn, remained ahead for a few seconds and then took off and disappeared like a flash bulb. At least two of the witnesses agreed that the huge object was a gray equilateral triangle, each side at least 200 feet long and twenty feet thick. Its outer edges were very smooth and sharply defined (with no rivets, doors, antennae, windows, etc.) while at its center there was a triangular-shaped opening or hole large enough to fly through. It flew with one side directly forward.

As a pilot, I did not believe in UFOs but we had just had a near mid-air collision with one! When Little told radar control what had just happened he was met with ridicule. Later he recalled, I became very angry and threw the microphone on the floor instead of hanging it on the clip… We all knew we had just seen a UFO but we didn’t know what to say. We were afraid that if we told anybody we would lose our pilot’s licenses. This was very important to us because we were all hoping to become commercial airline pilots. It could be the end of our careers. Investigator Smith also discovered that Little was told by radar control that a United B727 captain allegedly had just reported the same shaped object over Washington (about 535 miles away)! I could not locate any record of this other claimed sighting which isn’t surprising given the continuing attitude of derision shown toward air crew by authorities on the ground and the understandable reticence to report bizarre aerial sightings. `

One final word is appropriate. Is it possible that Jacksonville radar was actually tracking the UAP and not the aircraft when the several clock-wise deviating VOR events were taking place? It isn’t clear whether the aircraft had a transponder (they were relatively expensive at the time) so that ground radar might have had only a weak return from the aircraft’s skin paint. Indeed, broadband radar in the 1960s wasn’t particularly effective when it comes to a non-transponder equipped aircraft. The far larger radar skin paint return from the triangular object might have been significantly larger than that of the aircraft. If true, this would explain the progressive clockwise deviation of the ground radar’s track that also corresponded with the south-bound movement of the UAP before it apparently changed its heading to approach the aircraft. (Smith, W., A huge open triangular UFO, International UFO Reporter, Pp. 4-6, Sept./October 1984, Center for UFO Studies, Chicago, Illinois).

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Mexico: Airliner on Final Approach Reports UFO

John Greenewald — Sun, 19 Apr 2015 05:31:56 +0000

Actual date of case file is unknown, but is archived here for reference:

By Jorge Moreno (SIPSE)

MERIDA, Yucatan – Cases involving people traveling in commercial airliners and seeing UFOs in flight are not few. In Yucatan there are at least three such reports: In one of these, a pilot was unable to publicly remark on the event due to his company’s strictures, which forbid employees to discuss certain matters on account of privacy and confidentiality.

The pilot remarked that during a flight from Mexico City to Merida, he was about to land at the airport of the Yucatan’s capital city when he suddenly saw an unidentified flying object that could not be seen by the control tower’s radar. “I could see it physically beside the airplane, a sort of flying saucer, similar to the ones shown on videos or even television. I couldn’t believe it, much less that the radar couldn’t pick it up.

I calculate that it was 300 meters distant, and judging by the size I could see, it had a radius of 10 meters at least,” he explained.

He added: “I had already heard other reports from my fellow pilots on other flights, but like many, I wouldn’t believe until I saw one. I had also heard cases in which passengers had reported them, but to tell you the truth, we didn’t pay them much attention. I reject the likelihood that it could have been a bird or any other ordinary object. The technology they have must be impressive to have been so near me, yet undetectable by the airplane’s radar or the control tower’s radar. When it took off, it did so at lightspeed and upward.

“I was quite fortunate to see this. I was moved to tell many people who don’t believe in the UFO phenomenon, but the company does not allow it. Several years have gone by and I don’t work there anymore, so I can say it openly. Without question, there’s another world watching us, as I believe Pedro Ferriz used to say, and we don’t want to realize it,” he concluded.” Airports and UFOs

Airports in Mexico City and all over the world are among the places where many UFO sightings have occurred. However, air traffic controllers, pilots and other personnel working in these facilities are under orders not to make it known to avoid causing panic among the population.

There are cases that have filtered through, or rather, cases in which civilian personnel have been witnesses. One of these cases occurred a little over a decade ago in the airport located at Kaua (Eastern Yucatan) where residents frequently report strange lights prowling these areas.

At first they thought the lights were part of airport operations, but soon realized this was not the case when they spoke with airport personnel, and upon discovering that these lights in the sky were coming closer and closer to the municipality and made no noise whatsoever despite flying at low altitude.

When witnesses are asked to provide descriptions, they point out that these were metallic objects measuring around two or three meters in circumference, making irregular movements, noiseless, and leaving the area vertically at high speed after circling the town. One eyewitness account that bolsters the residents of Kaua comes from retired pilot Martin Campos Faber, currently living in Cancun, and who notes that he had to make some private trips to Kaua a few years ago.

“Shortly before landing, I saw two strange vehicles, some UFOs, surrounding us. I won’t deny that they caused me panic, as I thought the worse about having them so near me. But suddenly, they vanished into nothing. They took off at high speed, approached as if looking for something, or perhaps they made a mistake, and took off immediately. I can’t find another explanation for it,” he notes.

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Pilot Recalls Chasing a Dull Silver Flying Saucer

John Greenewald — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 23:26:31 +0000

Citabria 7ECA (Not the actual plane involved in this case – but archives here for reference)

Date of Sighting: June 20, 1987
Time of Sighting: 12:15 PM Local Time
Date Reported: April 3, 2006
Duration of Sighting: Unknown
Location of Sighting: Cedar Point, Ontario, Canada (Southern Ontario)
Latitude: 44.8 Degrees North
Longitude: 80.18 Degrees West
Number of Witnesses: One
Weather: Clear Skies.

Description (In Witness’s Own Words): The sighting occurred near Cedar Point, Ontario, Canada. I was flying my Citabria airplane at 3500 ft. ASL. The dull silver saucer shaped UFO was first sited over Christian Island as I was banking my aircraft to the right on a level turn. I opened my left side window to watch as the UFO passed approximately 500 ft. underneath my plane. I then banked the plane to the left so that I would not lose sight of it. The UFO continued on a straight and level path, and although I was going 110 m.p,h. the UFO’s speed was such that there was no way I could catch up to it. If I had to approximate it’s speed, I would guess at 400-600 m.p.h. As for the size of the UFO, I can’t really say, since there was nothing that I could compare it to. If I had to guess, I would say about 30 to 50 feet in diameter. It happened so quickly, but I did get a very good look at it. There were no windows or any markings on the UFO. The color was a dull silver, almost a grey color. I usually always carry a camera in my side pouch, but this time, it was in a bag behind the rear passenger seat. If I had a passenger with me at that time, I would have been able to get a very good picture with my 35mm camera! Now when I go flying, I always make sure that I have at least two cameras with me at all times.

Addition Information About Airplane Pilot Was Flying: The aircraft was manufactured by Champion Aircraft CO. in the USA. The model is a Citabria 7ECA.

Investigator’s Notes: This is an example of a credible witness reporting an incredible sighting. The witness did not report this sighting previously because he was afraid of ridicule. He got a good look at the craft as it approached close to his aircraft. The sighting occurred near the middle of a bright sunny day. Not much more to say: Unidentified!

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Pilot Recalls Close Encounter With “Unconventional Flying Object”

John Greenewald — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 23:22:15 +0000

Sketch of Object & Comments by Witness.

Date of Sighting: January 3, 1988
Time of Sighting: 3:30 PM EST
Location of Sighting: Near New Britain, Pennsylvania (See Map)

Description: This (my sighting) happened about 3:30 PM January 3, 1988. I was flying my private planeabout 1200 Feet above sea level over New Britain, PA when this object came down out of the sky from high above at a tremendous speed & leveled off just in front of my airplane about 500 yards North or so. I increased power to get as close as possible as it just hovered in one place in front of me. I advanced my throttle to 100% power and as I accelerated the object turned to the SSW (I was heading NNE when I spotted the object “falling out of the sky at high speed.) I immediately called the nearby Willow Grove Naval Air Base on their frequency and told them what I was viewing. The tower operator informed me he would do a radar sweep and after doing so he reported to me that there was nothing indicated on his scope. By this time, the object was traveling quite fast, estimated at about 300 MPH perhaps (I can only do 110-125 in my Grumman) and was about 10 miles SSW of me. The object then swung around 180 degrees and headed back by my way. It then came to within 200 yards or so of my right wing at the same altitude I was flying. I called the military base again and they reported nothing on their radar. Suddenly the object tilted slightly back and then took off straight up in a flash, so fast that I barely saw it depart. The military tower operator asked me if I wanted to report a “UFO” and I was reluctant to do so. After some convincing I gave him my airplane’s “N” number and home contact info. I received a call from a gentleman who described himself as being from the “Government UFO Center” and I gave him the whole story. I never heard another word from anyone.

I’m attaching a drawing of what I saw, again in broad daylight. Sorry, I had no camera with me. SHUCKS!! The ‘thing’ was an estimated 35 to 50 Feet. in ‘height” and almost looked like a large airplane wing standing on end. The object was a beautiful gold color like I have never seen before. It made no sound and contained no windows. There were no signs of any type of exhaust from a propulsion system nor was there any wake turbulence and all of my airplane systems worked OK. There was no disturbance.

Additional Information Provided by Witness: I was flying my 1973 Grumman AA1B which I have owned for 28 1/2 years. I’m attaching a picture of the plane (see above) and I’m not sure, again, if the Navy would keep radio records. Also, I wish I would have written down the name of the man who called me that very night at home and identified himself as being from the U.S. Government UFO investigation center. He called me about 10 or 11 PM that night. I guess the Navy people thought the sighting must have been pretty important to have someone contact me that quickly.

Note: Wow! What did this guy see? It doesn’t sound like anything from this world? It is interesting to note that the Navy did not pick up the object on radar. Perhaps the object was too close to the airplane to have painted a separate return?

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Continental Airlines Flight Passes Close to Unknown Object Near Airport

John Greenewald — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 23:17:18 +0000

FAA Tower Log For Houston International Airport on May 26, 2008.

Date of Sighting: May 26, 2008 (Memorial Day)
Time of Sighting: Around 10:30 AM CDT
Date Sighting Reported: May 26, 2008
Duration of Sighting: Few Seconds
Location of Sighting: Few Miles East of Houston, TX International Airport
Latitude: 29.7 Degrees North
Longitude: 95.2 Degrees West
Number of Witnesses: Flight Crew & FAA Tower Personnel
Number of Witnesses Interviewed: None (Report Was Gathered From Media)
Weather: Skies Were Mostly Cloudy (Broken Cloud) at 3,500 Feet & Mostly Cloudy (Broken Cloud) at 25,000 Feet. Visibility Was 10 Miles. Winds Were From the South at 13 MPH.

Description: Shortly after takeoff on Runway 150 Left (towards south-southeast) a Continental Airlines Passenger Jet (Flight Number 1544 – Boeing 737) saw what appeared to be a rocket at his “12 o’clock position” traveling straight up leaving a contrail. The jet was en-route to Cleveland, Ohio. Apparently the FBI has concluded that the rocket was a model rocket. However, interviews with model “rocketeers” has not supported this conclusion. The location is “out-of-range” of most hobbyist-level model rockets. Apparently the pilot took made no maneuvers to avoid collision with the object. According to the second tape below the FAA treated this incident as a “man-pad” event. Man- pad is the abbreviation for “man- portable” air defense and refers to the firing of a hand held (shoulder) fired missile (e.g. Stinger missile).

Listen to Radio Communication of Airline Reporting Incident to FAA
https://www.theblackvault.com/casefiles/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/houstracon1544.mp3
Listen to FAA Supervisor Discussing Incident
https://www.theblackvault.com/casefiles/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/superviscabinfaa.mp3

Comments: I have completed analysis of the radar data obtained from the FAA. The radar track of the aircraft indicates that the pilot took no evasive action to avoid collision with the object and that the object was not detected by radar. (Detected primary returns were not straight ahead of Continental Airlines #1544. See radar plot above.) The identity of this object has not been determined. Original statements made by the FAA and FBI concluded that the object was a model rocket. However, in the tape above the FAA treated the incident as an act of terrorism. A FOIA filed with the FBI produced a response that “no records were found responsive to your request.” This response was received despite the fact that the FBI public ally originally said that the object was a model rocket. (See later statement by FBI below.) Why the deception? Updates to this case will be posted.

An article about the incident appeared in the July 3, 2008 online issue of rocketyplanet.com (http://www.rocketryplanet.com). To quote from the article: “FBI spokeswoman Shauna Dunlap, who said her agency routinely looks into suspicious activity involving aircraft, said agents have not yet identified what the pilot saw out there.”

The following was published by Channel 5 News Cleveland-Akron, Ohio on May 27, 2008:

CLEVELAND — The FBI is investigating an unidentified object seen near a Cleveland-bound Continental Airlines plane just after it departed from Houston. FBI officials said a Continental Airlines pilot told air traffic controllers that an object with a flaming tail and a trail of smoke flew in front of the plane shortly after takeoff.

The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is involved in the investigation, but officials say they believe the flaming projectile seen by the pilot just east of Houston’s airport Monday was a model rocket. Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Roland Herwig says officials are unsure how high the object flew or how close it came to the plane. An FBI representative said the plane wasn’t in any danger, it landed safely Monday.

The Boeing 737 was carrying 148 passengers. The FBI routinely looks into any suspicious activity that involves an airplane.

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Pilot Sees Unknown Object on Approach to Airport

John Greenewald — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 23:11:21 +0000

Date of Sighting: July 18, 2008
Time of Sighting: 12:25 AM PDT
Date Sighting Reported: July 18, 2008
Duration of Sighting: 1 to 2 Seconds
Location of Sighting: About 6 Miles N. of Apple Valley, California
Latitude: 34.59 Degrees North (Position of Observation & Not Location of Object)
Longitude: 117.19 Degrees West (Position of Observation & Not Location of Object)
Number of Witnesses: One
Weather: Skies Were Clear. Visibility Was 10 Miles. Winds Were From the West at 10 MPH.

Description: The witness called and reported his sighting on the morning that it happened. He stated that he was on approach with his “Mooney” aircraft on a heading of 240 degrees (southwest) at 3,300 feet, and traveling at 145 knots. He saw a bright neon green object over the west valley near Magoo Naval Air Station in Ventura, California. He said that the object was moving at a heading of 270 degrees (west).

Comments: The witness is an accomplished helicopter mechanic and an experienced pilot. He has been flying for 25 years, has nearly 5,000 hours of flying time, is instrument rated, and he has a multi-engine rating. The only drawback to this sighting is that the witness only saw the object (light) for 1 to 2 seconds. This fact reduces the accuracy of his observation.

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Airline Pilot & Co-Pilot See Strange Light to East While Inflight

John Greenewald — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 22:58:57 +0000

Plot of Flight of Aircraft & Unknown “UFO” Radar Returns to East of Pahrump, Nevada.
(Arrows Indicate Airliner Movement & UFO Movement.)

Date of Sighting: December 26, 2010
Time of Sighting: 5:30 PM PST
Location of Sighting: About 20 Miles East of (See Map)

Description: I am an airline pilot. Shortly after departure from Las Vegas, Nevada we spotted a light in the sky. We were on our departure climb Northwest of Las Vegas around 5:30 PM local time. While passing abeam the town of Pahrump we noticed the light. It was moving from Northwest to Southeast at a speed greater than that of an aircraft, but slower than a meteor. It was larger than an aircraft light and blue-green in color. It traveled along the horizon passing from our 1 o’clock position to our 3 o’clock position. At the 3 o’clock position it stopped moving and appeared stationary for about 3 to 5 seconds and then disappeared as though someone turned off the light switch. It appeared to be at approximately 20 miles from our position and just east of Pahrump, Nevada at an approximate altitude of 20,000 feet. During the whole period, our Nav Display was set at a range of 160 nautical miles and our TCAS wasn’t painting any targets. I have around 8,000 hrs of flying and the pilot I was flying with has over 30,000. We both agreed we had never seen anything like that.

Note: Here is an incredible sighting by credible witnesses. Of course the area where the pilots saw the object (light) is close to the “Infamous Area 51.” More analysis will be conducted regarding this case. Updates will be posted.

Zoom in Plot of UFO Showing Returns From 2 Radars.

Update – Preliminary Radar Analysis – March 27, 2011: A “screening analysis” of radar data has identified the airline that spotted the unknown light and has shown unknown targets in the direction, in the position and the time where the object was reported by the flight crew. The targets were moving very slowly towards the northwest which is not the same direction observed by the crew. However, the object could have appeared to be “nearly stationary” at the point that it was observed the crew because it was moving much slower than the aircraft. The aircraft was flying at around 450 mph towards the northwest at the time of the sighting. The UFO was detected at three points by both radars. Analysis shows that the UFO moved west at 94 mph, then north-northwest at 129 mph and then northwest at 225 mph before dropping of the radar. This is consistent with the report that the object stopped moving (or appeared to stop moving) and then disappeared. The above radar map shows a “zoom” of the area of the UFO returns and shows the direction of movement. The zoomed area also shows the plots from two radars.

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Do pilots believe in UFOs? Many of them do and here is my close encounter story

John Greenewald — Thu, 16 Apr 2015 15:11:02 +0000

The following was published on April 7, 2015, by the NY Daily News. It is archived here for reference, and full and special thanks/credit goes to the NY Daily News for the article.

BY ANDREW DANZIGER SPECIAL TO THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

People love to ask pilots questions. But my favorite, and certainly the most interesting, is “Have you ever seen a UFO while flying?”

The answer is yes. And here’s how it happened.

It was April 10, 1989 and early in my career. I was still a first officer at a regional airline. It was about 8 p.m. and we had just taken off from Kansas City International Airport bound for Waterloo, Iowa. It was a beautiful evening, with a full moon, clear skies and crisp early spring temperatures. The weather forecast for Waterloo was as nice, with clear skies and unlimited visibility.

After a short taxi and take-off, Air Traffic Control (ATC) cleared us to our cruise altitude of 15,000 feet. We established a Northeasterly heading, pointed strait at Waterloo, about 200 miles ahead. There were thin wispy clouds all around us, illuminated by the light of the full moon that shone through the captain’s-side window at our left. Despite the presence of these clearly visible wispy clouds everywhere, we weren’t flying through any of them. There was also a white disc dimly but clearly visible through those clouds just off to our right.

We flew on and I commented to Bruce, the captain, about this dimly visible disc. He said that he’d been watching the same thing since we had leveled off. It looked similar to the moon faintly visible though thin fog, except the two were visible at the same time on opposite sides of our cockpit. We looked down below for search lights, you know, the kind that’s sometimes used for aerial light displays or advertising at a car dealer, but there was no beam of light coming from the ground, no search light from an airport either. The captain and I had cumulatively spent many years flying and were accustomed to seeing — day and night — all manner of airplane, blimp, hot air balloon, satellite and bird. But neither of us had any idea what this disc could be.

We spent 20 to 30 minutes at our cruise altitude, all the while staring at this white disc dimly visible through some clouds that we somehow never seemed to fly through. Within about 40 miles of Waterloo, ATC confirmed the weather, still clear skies and unrestricted visibility at our destination as we began to descend. We got busy with our flying duties and for a short while, maybe for a minute, both of us had looked away from the disc, but when I looked up at it again I saw something that has been burned into my memory.

I yelled to Bruce, “Holy s–t.” He immediately looked over from what he was doing. Above the clouds, where the white disc had been, was a now giant red ball. It was big and bright and just sat there above the clouds. It wasn’t intense enough to illuminate us with a red glow but it was still plenty bright. We sat there in stunned silence. We obviously didn’t want to hit it but quickly saw that it was flying parallel to our course. We weren’t on a collision course and we also weren’t gaining on it. Time became a blur as we continued our descent, this giant, red ball holding its course.

We slowly lost altitude and at around 13,000 feet, the brightly glowing ball began a gradual descent, too. As it did, it slowly started disappearing behind those wispy clouds. In about 30 seconds, like a setting sun but not nearly as bright, it vanished behind the clouds. The instant it fully disappeared, hundreds of lights began flashing from within the clouds.

As I looked on in disbelief, the flashing lights were brighter than ever and I could see that the section of the cloud that the glowing red ball had descended behind was starting to stretch apart like a piece of “Silly Putty,” two halves being pulled slowly apart with the middle getting thinner and thinner. This continued until the halves grew so thin that it tore apart and, pop! Everything was gone. The dimly lit disc, the flashing lights, the thin wispy clouds that we had with us for the last 40 minutes; all of it, gone. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Only the full moon remained off to our left.

Bruce and I just looked at each other. “Oh my God, what the f–k was that”, was all I could muster. My colleague just stared out the windscreen, mesmerized. We discussed whether we should report what we had just witnessed. After a few minutes, I picked up the radio mic and asked the Kansas City Center controller if they had anything on radar. “Nope, nothing but you,” came the response. “No, not right now but a couple minutes ago, at our one to two o’clock,” I replied. “No,” he repeated, “It’s a slow night. I’ve got the entire sector between Kansas City and Waterloo and you’re all that’s been in it for the last hour.” Bruce and I again just looked at each other, completely dumbfounded. “So for the last say 40 minutes or so you’ve had no traffic at all, not at our one or two o’clock?” I asked. “No sir, not at your one or two o’clock, not anywhere, you’re all there is,” he assured us.

A minute or so later, from over the radio came, “Air Midwest , do you want to report a UFO?” We looked at each other for a couple seconds and Bruce nodded his head. “Yes sir, we do,” I finally replied. “OK, take down this number and call when you get on the ground.”

After deplaning we called the number. “National UFO Reporting Center ” said the voice from the other end. At the time I didn’t even know such a place existed, but they took collect calls from pilots and air traffic controllers. Bruce told the person on the other end of the line that we wanted to report a UFO. We were interviewed separately, first the captain and then me. When my interview was finished the man on the other end of the line said that we would never hear from him again and would never receive any additional information, this was going to be our first and only contact regarding the sighting. I asked, “Can I ask just one question, do you think we’re crazy, has anyone else ever reported something like this?”

“Oh no, you’re not crazy at all,” he replied. “This very same thing has been reported by pilots countless times.” And while neither of us had any idea what we had saw one thing we were certain of, it wasn’t from here.

Our airline had no official UFO policy (nor did any that I ever worked for), but at the time we were both young with long and promising careers in front of us. We knew through the grapevine that pilots weren’t supposed to talk about UFOs so we swore the station agent on duty to secrecy and agreed not to talk about our incident to any of our co-workers.

That was more than 25 years ago. Today I’m older, wiser and at the end of my career. In my last few years of flying the subject of UFOs occasionally came up in the cockpit. If it was brought up at all, it was usually by a younger, newer first officer who’d say something with much trepidation. More than a few pilots have shared their UFO stories with me, too. I’m not going too far out on a ledge to say that virtually all pilots believe in UFOs. Little green men, “close encounters”, alien kidnappings,… not so much, but with billions of stars and trillions of planets out there, “ya gotta believe”, and almost all of us do.

Andrew Danziger is a 28-year airline veteran, with experience in turboprops and Boeing aircraft. He was an international 757/767 captain for the last 14 years. He has served as an airline ground school instructor and check pilot in both simulators and aircraft and was one of the pilots to fly Barack Obama during his 2008 presidential campaign.

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Pilot describes moment an Airbus with up to 220 people on board came dangerously close to crashing into ‘UFO’ as it came in to land

John Greenewald — Wed, 01 Apr 2015 02:55:06 +0000

Approach: The plane was 13 miles away from Glasgow Airport (pictured) when it came within seconds of colliding with the unidentified object

By MARIO LEDWITH FOR THE DAILY MAIL

A passenger jet came within 300ft of colliding with an unidentified flying object, an official probe has heard.

Despite an investigation, the UK Airprox Board – which examines reports of near misses – could not explain the ‘blue and yellow’ object which passed under the Airbus 320.

The incident happened on December 2 last year over Baillieston, 13 miles east of Glasgow Airport, at around 3500ft.

The shocked pilot reported the collision risk as ‘high’.

The A320 was descending into Glasgow in clear conditions with the sun behind, when both the plane’s pilots saw an object around 100 yards away.

The board’s report said: ‘The object passed directly beneath before either of the crew had time to take avoiding action or had “really registered it”, although they both agreed that it appeared blue and yellow (or silver) in colour and was “quite large” with a small frontal area.

‘The controller stated he was not talking to anyone else in that area and nothing was seen on radar.’

In its report, the board dismissed a variety of possible explanations.

It said: ‘In the absence of a primary radar return, it was unlikely that the untraced aircraft was a fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft or man-carrying balloon.

‘It was considered that a meteorological balloon would be radar-significant and unlikely to be released in the area.

‘A glider could not be discounted but it was felt unlikely that one would be operating in that area, due to the constrained airspace and the lack of thermal activity due to low temperature.

‘Similarly, the board considered that a hang-glider or para-motor would be radar significant and that conditions precluded them.

‘Members were unable to reach a conclusion as to a likely candidate for the conflicting aircraft.

The pilot was clearly shocked and reported that there had been a ‘high’ risk of collision following the incident on December 2 last year.

He told his control tower: ‘We just had something pass underneath us quite close. Have you got anything on in our area.’

They replied: ‘Negative. We’ve got nothing on radar and we’re not talking to any traffic either’

The unidentified flying object passed directly beneath the plane before either of the crew had a chance to take action to avoid it.

Both pilots described the object as ‘blue and yellow (or silver) in colour with a small frontal area but that it was “bigger than a balloon”.’

The airline involved has not been identified by the report authors.

Several companies fly in Airbus 320 planes from the airport and they can seat up to 220 people – although the number of seats varies.

The report authors said they had not been able to work out what the object was.

Near miss: A diagram in the report which shows the pilot’s direction of travel and the unidentified object which is marked as ‘CPA 1246’

They wrote: ‘The controller stated that he was not talking to anyone else in that area and that nothing was seen on radar. Search action was taken with no result and the A320 pilot stated his intention to file an Airprox.

‘Additionally, a further detailed review of individual radar sources did not yield any conclusive radar data that matched the A320 pilot’s description of the encounter.

‘The Air Traffic Control unit’s own radar replay also showed no surveillance traces in the immediate vicinity of the A320 at the time.’

Once on the ground the A320 pilot gave a further description of the event to the Glasgow Aerodrome Controller.

The pilot said: ‘We seemed to only miss it by a couple of hundred feet it went directly beneath us – wherever we were when we called it in it was within about ten seconds; couldn’t tell what direction it was going but it went right underneath us.’

Asked if he thought it was a glider, the pilot replied: ‘well maybe a microlight – it just looked too big for a balloon.’

But the board ruled out any such aircraft and were baffled.

‘The board initially considered likely candidates for the untraced aircraft. The A320 crew had not been able to assimilate any information regarding the form of the untraced aircraft in the fleeting glimpse they had, reporting only a likely colour,’ it said.

‘Members were of the opinion that, in the absence of a primary radar return, it was unlikely that the untraced aircraft was a fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft or man-carrying balloon.

‘It was considered that a meteorological balloon would be radar significant and unlikely to be released in the area of the Airprox.

‘A glider could not be discounted but it was felt unlikely that one would be operating in that area, both due to the constrained airspace and the lack of thermal activity due to the low temperature.

‘Similarly, The board considered that a hang-glider or para-motor would be radar significant and that conditions precluded them, as they did para-gliders or parascenders.

‘Members were unable to reach a conclusion as to a likely candidate for the conflicting aircraft and it was therefore felt that the Board had insufficient information to determine a cause or risk.’

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Terrified airline pilot DUCKS as he sees UFO heading straight to cockpit

John Greenewald — Sun, 08 Mar 2015 17:33:08 +0000

A terrified airline pilot ducked to avoid a UFO he feared was going to smash into his plane at 34,000ft.

The captain of the packed Airbus A320 spotted the silver object heading straight for the cockpit as his plane flew above Berkshire.

He was looking out of the left window a split second before the bizarre incident.

A safety report said: “As he turned to look ahead, he perceived an object travelling towards them at what appeared to be the same level, slightly above the flight deck windscreen.

“Having very little time to focus, he was under the apprehension that they were on a collision course with no time to react.

“His immediate reaction was to duck to the right and reach over to alert the first officer; there was no time to talk to alert him.”

The stunned captain blurted out: “Did you see that?”

But his bemused deputy had not seen the UFO and replied: “See what?”

The pilot’s behaviour made him fear there was a fault with their plane.

“The first officer turned and looked at him thinking some was wrong with the aircraft,” the report revealed.

The captain was so spooked by the incident in July that he reported the sighting to safety watchdogs at the UK Airprox Board , which investigates near-misses in British airspace.

He told experts he saw a flying object shaped like a cigar or rugby ball, which was “bright silver, metallic”.

The “near-miss” happened 20 miles west of Heathrow Airport, according to a report published last week.

An official probe said: “The pilot was subjected to a powerful impression of immediate danger caused by his perception of an object closing rapidly on his aircraft.”

But investigators, who did not reveal which airline was involved, failed to find any unidentified aircraft in the area at the time.

They added: “It wasn’t possible to trace the object or determine the likely cause of the sighting.”

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Pilot Sightings - The Black Vault Case Files

The Vault Files: 1986 Alaska JAL Flight 1628

America West Airlines Flight 564 UFO Case – May 25, 1995

Information Case Only; No Formal Investigation by The Black Vault

Background

Airline Crew Reports Cigar With Pulsing Lights

Audio Transcript of ATC Recordings

Astronaut Gordon Cooper Talks About UFOs on Paranormal Borderline

Biography of Gordon Cooper

Background on UFO Sightings

Two Dramatic Mid-Air UFO Near Misses In 1967

National Aviation Reporting Center on Anomalous Phenomena

– NARCAP –

October 15, 2000

January, 1967 Night UP SW New Mexico

_____ October 27, 1967 0300L UP NE Jacksonville (Atlantic Ocean)

Mexico: Airliner on Final Approach Reports UFO

Pilot Recalls Chasing a Dull Silver Flying Saucer

Pilot Recalls Close Encounter With “Unconventional Flying Object”

Continental Airlines Flight Passes Close to Unknown Object Near Airport

Pilot Sees Unknown Object on Approach to Airport

Airline Pilot & Co-Pilot See Strange Light to East While Inflight

Do pilots believe in UFOs? Many of them do and here is my close encounter story

Pilot describes moment an Airbus with up to 220 people on board came dangerously close to crashing into ‘UFO’ as it came in to land

Terrified airline pilot DUCKS as he sees UFO heading straight to cockpit

January, 1967
Night UP SW New Mexico

_____ October 27, 1967
0300L UP NE Jacksonville
(Atlantic Ocean)