Documents / Hearing transcript
This FAA compilation, released through the National Archives and The Black Vault, covers Japan Airlines Flight 628's sighting over Alaska on January 11, 1987. It includes an FAA incident report dated February 1987, a chronology of the communications between the crew and Anchorage ARTCC, and statements from controllers and a meteorologist. Radar showed no traffic near the aircraft apart from weather clutter. The report says Captain Terauchi later believed the lights were village lights distorted by ice crystals.
PERSONNEL STATEMENT FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center January 11, 1987 The following is a report concerning the incident involving Japan Airlines Flight 628, (JL628), on January 11, 1987 at approximately 1629 UTC. My name is Allan J. Patchett, Jr. (OX). I am employed as an Air Traffic Control Specialist by the Federal Aviation Administration at the Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center, Anchorage, Alaska. During the period of 1635 UTC, January 11, 1987 to 0100 UTC, January 12, 1987, I was on duty in the Anchorage ARTCC. I was working the AMIC position from 1635 UTC, January 11, 1987, to 0100 UTC, January 12, 1987. I assumed the duties of the AMIC position at 1635Z, on January 11, 1987, at the Anchorage ARTCC. My relief briefing included a pending situation involving JL628 reporting a UFO sighting in the vicinity of FYU. I advised the Facility Manager, ZAN-600, Regional Operations Center (ROC), and Regional Operations Control Center (ROCC). I contacted the ROCC at approximately 1642Z; the Senior Director indicated that no targets other than JL628 were observed. I monitored the radar display myself and did not observe any unknown targets, only weather clutter. The CWSU advised me that there was a temperature inversion in the area of JL628's route of flight. I was advised the pilot stated that he lost contact with the UFO at approximately 1658Z. The remainder of the flight was handled in a normal manner. I turned all information over to ZAN-600 for further investigation. Area Mana e Anchorage ARTCC J
Hearing transcript, cited by the archive. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 14 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.