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First Officer Tamefuji interview, Peter Beckner, 5 Jan 1987

FAA via National Archives / The Black Vault · 24 pages · text from the file's own layer

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.

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T. Tamefuji Hummm, was it a change of intensity? How should I say ••• ?
On and off but became stronger ah, became weaker, became
stronger, became weake, different from the strobe lights.
s. Mimoto Some got stronger, and changed to weaker stronger again then
weaker, and stronger, weaker •
P. Beckner Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay, ah, you mentioned the lights that
you've shown me here. This pattern that you've shown me here,
the Captain has also, shown us also. But just so I, make sure I
understand everything here, let me just show you ah, the details
of what the Captain - and I don't know if you've seen these or
not, but you've •••
T. Tamefuji Hum, hum
P. Beckner This was in the newspaper here in Anchorage, for example. And
this shows a similiar type pattern is what you have here •
T. Tamefuji Humm
P. Beckner but I just wonder if you - you also may have seen this
particular ah, shape or ah, object?
T. Tamefuji Hummm
P. Beckner And you can probably read what is - is written here so, just
kinda read that over, and ••• Do you remember seeing anything
like that yourself?
T. Tamefuji Humm, I don't see ah, anything like this, but ah, as I told •••
P. Beckner Yeah, this ah
T. Tamefuji and you if, we can connect these lights - are - it will be
a big object but, ah
P. Beckner Right
T. Tamefuji I can not just - there are some lights ahead or not.
P. Beckner Okay, that was during the turn ••• ?
T. Tamefuji No ah, I think it was before turn •••
P. Beckner Oh okay
T. Tamefuji • • • and ah, we of course we convesed a lot and •••
S. Mimoto We are talking, discussing
T. Tamefuji And while we were talking I saw it momentarily.
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