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This set of Federal Aviation Administration Alaskan Region news releases and notes, dated December 1986 to March 1987, covers the Japan Air Lines Flight 1628 sighting of November 17, 1986. It includes interview notes with Captain Kenjyu Terauchi's crew. The FAA said it could not confirm the event and attributed the second radar target to a split radar return from the 747. The releases also describe an Alaska Airlines weather radar sighting and Terauchi's January 1987 lights, which were attributed to ice crystals.
Page two, JAL #1628, Notes, FAA, Alaska * * * * * * * * * * * * Used onboard color radar, located aircraft, 7 miles. Size: "As big as 8747 or larger, erratic movement." Lights: Yel I ow, Amber, Green, No red. Rot-at i ng Beacon. Many small lights. One object, two sets of Ii ghts. Speed of JAL B747: . 84 Mach, ( Ap-proxi mate! y 525 knots) ATC (Air Traffic Control) picked up target. Target broke off ---40 N of TKA- (Talkeetna) Radio: Received static only in VHF mode. (Abnormal) JAL aircraft on instrument navigation. Flight Crew observation: Normal, professional, ·rational, no drug or al coho! involvement. Drawings of situation provided by Captain. Normal language difficulty between flight crew and interviewer. **Note: Exact conversion to mph or knts is difficult as it varies due to eve! ati on (air density), weather, wind, etc. ) END . J II
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