Documents / Official release
This is a Federal Aviation Administration Skywatch Incident Report, released by the Department of Transportation in 2023. It covers an unidentified aerial phenomenon on August 17, 2022. Southwest flight SWA2826, a Boeing 737 MAX flying from Fort Myers to Baltimore at FL390, reported a bright light in a holding pattern in the upper atmosphere about 40 NM northwest of Richmond. Several other aircraft reported the same object. One pilot thought it was Starlink satellites reflecting sunlight. The report is closed.
SKYWATCH INCIDENT REPORT PRIMARY CODE: UNIDENTIFIED AERIAL PHENOMENON Date: 05:00 08/17/2022 Status: Closed POD: DEN Reporting Facility: ZDC Callsign: SWA2826 Aircraft: B38M Tail Number: Operator: SWA Origin: RSW Destination: BWI New Destination: Operator Type: Commercial Paged: YES REMARKS Aircraft reported an unidentified aerial phenomenon from the front side while NE bound at FL390, 38 NM S of FAY. The unknown phenomenon was a bright light in a holding pattern in the upper atmosphere in the vicinity of 37:49N/78:01W, approximately 40 NM NW of RIC. Two other aircraft reported seeing same object. At 0450 SWA1875, B737, MIA-BWI, from the left side, while NE bound at FL390, 9 NM S of LVL. At 0455 SWG603, B738, MUCC-CYUL, from the front side, while N bound at FL380, 26 NM SW of LVL. 0540 Additional aircraft reported seeing same object, SWG411, B38M, MDPP-CYYZ, from front side, while N bound at FL 370, 38 NM NW of RIC. PIC indicated they though phenomenon was star link satellites reflecting sunlight. TY/AWO notified. SKYWATCH INCIDENT REPORT | DATE: 2022-08-17T05:00 | POD: DEN | PAGE 1 of 1
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Official release, from the nara collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 1 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.