733667-001-005-0001

OTHER

AI Summary

This document details an interview conducted by the FAA with the crew of Japan Airlines Flight 1628 regarding their sighting of unidentified air traffic on November 17, 1986. The captain reported visual and radar observations of an unidentified object with distinct lights and movements.

Key Findings

- Captain Kenju Terauchi reported sighting unidentified air traffic (UAT) while flying at 39,000 feet. - The UAT was observed for approximately 12 minutes at a distance of 7-8 nautical miles. - The object displayed yellow, amber, and green lights, with a rotating beacon, and was possibly larger than a B747. - The UAT changed position from in front of the aircraft to the port side and remained there for about 35 minutes. - Communication with ARICC personnel was established, and static was reported during VHF communications. - Visual contact with the UAT was lost approximately 40 nautical miles north of Talkeetna.

OCR Text

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION AIR TRANSPORTATION SECURITY As per telephonic request from FSDO-63, the following are the events which took place on November 17, 1986 and were taken from my personal notes during the interview: Responded to Japan Airlines station office as instructed by Manager (James S. Derry), AAL-700. Myself and Jim Derry interviewed the crew of JAL Flight 1628, which reported the sighting of unidentified air traffic. The flight crew consisted of the Captain, Kenju Terauchi, First Officer Takanori Tamefuji;. and Flight Engineer Yoshio Tsukuda. Captain Terauchi stated the cargo only flight had departed Reykjavik, Iceland. Captain Terauchi stated he first sited (visually) the unidentified air traffic (UAT) in the vacinity of Potat intersection and the ADIZ. The aircraft he was piloting (B747) was at flight level 390, airspeed 0.84 Mach. Captain Terauchi indicated the UAT was in front of his aircraft at a distance of approximately seven to eight nautical miles for approximately 12 minutes. The Captain stated the distance was indicated by the onboard Bendix color radar. Captain Terauchi stated that while he hada visual on the UAT, he spotted yellow, amber and green lights, and a rotating beacon, but no red lights. The Captain said there were two distinct sets of lights, but appeared to be joined together (as fixed to one object). Captian Terauchi ascertained through visual sighting and radar, that the UAT was equal in size to a B747, possibly larger. Captain Terauchi stated that during the visual sighting, the lights of the UAT changed from a horizontal position to a vertical position and had positioned itself from in front of the B747 to port side. The UAT stayed on the port side for approximmately 35 minutes. Captain Terauchi said he was communicating with ARICC personnel during the sighting. The captain stated he requested, and received, permission to perform a 360 degree turn while in the vacinity of Fairbanks, Alaska, which he had a visual on. Captain Terauchi stated the UAT maintained its position on the port side during the turn. Captain Terauchi stated visual sight of the UAT was lost approximately 40 nautical miles north of Talkeetna, while continuing on to Anchorage. Additional information regarding the flight: Captain Terauchi stated there was static during VHF communications with the ARTCC. Captain Terauchi indicated there was erratic movement with lights of the UAT during the visual contact. Navigation was being performed by coupling of the onboard IS's. INTERVIEWED/REViEweD on November 17, 198600 , AT _Anchorage Alaska cot oe me BY Ronald E. Mickle, FAA S/A FILE NO. LL FAA Form 1600-32e1 (2-73) FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY - (Public availability to be de— GPO 942-984 termined under 5 U. S. C. 552)

Metadata

Agency
—
Classification
UNCLASSIFIED
Department
National Archives and Records Administration
Confidence85
Credibility90

NARA Source

NAID
733667
File
733667-001-005-0001.jpg
Type
image/jpeg

No machine-readable OCR text for this asset. Photographs without captions may have no extractable text.

Upload File