733667-001-003-0024
AI Summary
A correspondence from Philip J. Klass discussing the credibility of UFO sightings reported by Captain Terauchi of Japan Airlines, highlighting concerns about multiple sightings by the same individual and questioning the accuracy of flight path information.
Key Findings
- Captain Terauchi has multiple UFO sightings, raising skepticism about his reports. - Klass compares multiple UFO sightings to multiple divorces, suggesting increasing doubt with each additional sighting. - There is a discrepancy in the reported flight path of JAL flight J-529, questioning the accuracy of the information provided.
OCR Text
PHILIP J. KLASS 404 "'N"' ST. SOUTHWEST H “a WASHINGTON, D.C. 20024 ? 1 fd 1p Q7 \ { | (202) 554-5901 RECESY 2 1987 Mr. Paul Steucke Public Affairs Officer Fed. Aviation Admin. 701 "C" St., Box 14 Anchorage, Alaska 99513 Dear Paul: Your package of JAL-UFO goodies was waiting for me on my return from a ski vacation with friends in Switzerland, and [I found it most interesting. Especially that Capt. Terauchi had two previous UFO sight- ings, which makes him a "UFO Repeater" and which automatically makes any of his UFO reports suspect to an experienced UFO investigator--even many of the "believers". Multiple UFO sightings (by one person) are sort of like multiple divorces. One is OK. (Even Jimmy Carter had one which turned out to be Venus.) Two makes one a bit cautious. But three or more--as in baseball--you're "out." (And, as we both know, Terauchi reported two more UFO sightings on Jan. 11, Giving him a grand total of five--unless he has added to that figure since Jan. 11.) (And unless JAL has chastened him severe- ly, I would predict that Terauchi will see many, many more UFOs in the coming years, while most folks are not privileged to see even one.) A guestion: In fTerauchi's own report on the incident (Submitted to the FAA on Jan.2), he says that his original flight plan called for him to fly J-529 to Ft. Yukon, then J-125 Via Nenana, and on to Talkeetna. But Terauchi then says that “Anchorage ordered (authorized) us to fly direct to Talkeetna." This would seem logical because of the very light traffic Situation, and the fact that the JAL~747 was equipped with inertial nav systems and could save a little fuel by flying direct from Potat. However, the flight path you shown on your marked-up aero chart shows the original route via VOR airways. QUESTION: Which is the correct flight path? Incidentally, 20+ years experience in investigating UFO reports has shown that a witness observing one "trigger-mechan- ism," which disappears, can readily "glob" onto another light source and believe it to be the same "UFO."
Metadata
- Agency
- —
- Classification
- UNCLASSIFIED
- Department
- National Archives and Records Administration
- Catalog source
- View NARA catalog record
NARA Source
- NAID
- 733667
- File
- 733667-001-003-0024.jpg
- Type
- image/jpeg
No machine-readable OCR text for this asset. Photographs without captions may have no extractable text.