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This FAA record of interview documents a session held January 5, 1987, at the Federal Building in Anchorage, Alaska. Inspector Peter E. Beckner of AAL-207 questioned JAL First Officer Takanori Tamefuji, with interpreter Sayoko Mimoto, about the November 17, 1986 sighting. Tamefuji said he saw very bright, multicolored lights resembling head-on traffic for about five to ten minutes, along with a large green echo on the airborne radar. His seat position kept him from seeing it after that. He rejected reflection and weather explanations and said he was certain he saw something.
P. Beckner Okay, darker, okay T. Tamefuji and ah, I flight engineer calculator (unintelligible) so he had ah • • • P. Beckner So he had a spot on his table? T. Tamefuji Yes P. Beckner By the engineer table? T. Tamefuji Yes, I - when I saw, but ah, cockpit was ah, dark. P. Beckner Okay. Ah, what size would you estimate this - this object to be? T. Tamefuji Hummm, it is hard to say, but - ummm, I thought it was ah, ah, I thought it was larger than ah, aircraft. s. Mimoto What kinds of aircrafts? T. Tamefuji An originally oncoming aircraft S. Mimoto P. Beckner It feels like it's larger than normal airplane. Oncoming airplane Okay. Okay. Ah, did you notice any magnetic disturbances, ah, the compass • T. Tamefuji No ••• P. Beckner • swing or anything • T. Tamefuji • but ah, um, I think you have ATC tape of that time? P. Beckner Right T. Tamefuji And controllers tape, ah, said that several times you're garbling P. Beckner No ••• T. Tamefuji ••• but ah, my English is so hee ••• how should I said that reasoning • • • I thought perhaps the air traffic controller did not understand my English, so, he said 'garbling'. S. Mimoto Oh, maybe Air Traffic Control did not understand my English, so P. Beckner S. Mimoto • he was polite and said 'garbling' P. Beckner • said (unintelligible) government garble, okay. 16
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