Pilot Report Unclassified Complete

733667-001-007-0005

National Archives and Records Administration

Released
Published
Added to archive
Jun 16, 2026
Department
National Archives and Records Administration
Original size
2.5 MB
External ID
29fd0e151a3db1e8f97cd35aea4bf483d614ecb10cac342bbc077da7ebde2167
Confidence
85%
Credibility
90%

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Intelligence summary

This document details the personal account of Captain Kenju Terauchi regarding a UFO sighting during JAL Flight 1628 on November 17, 1986. The captain describes observing unusual lights that moved in a non-standard manner and attempted to capture photographic evidence, but encountered technical difficulties with his camera.

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Jun 15, 1986

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Document Date (year hint) for 733667-001-007-0005

Jun 16, 2026

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Ingestion Date for 733667-001-007-0005

Jun 16, 2026

Document Record Date

Document Record Date for 733667-001-007-0005

Jun 16, 2026

Update Date

Update Date for 733667-001-007-0005

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Full document text

1,428 characters, transcribed via OCR. Errors reflect the source scan. Compare with the original ↗

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“p 8- We kept observing the lights below us in left front, thinking it was ridiculous to have lazer beam testing at the end of a tundra area. Then the two lights began to move in a manner different from ordinary aircraft maneuvers, like two bear cubs Playing with each other. We continued the flight South along a straight course since the distance from the lights was far enough from us and their movement was not extreme and we felt no immediate danger. I thought perhaps it is one of those things called UFO and taking a photo might help to identify the object later. JI asked to bring forward my camera bag that was placed in the rear of the cockpit and began to take a Picture. The area in which the plane was flying was unchanged but the lights were still moving strangely. I had ASA 100 film in my camera, mainly to take scenery and had auto-focus on, aimed at the object but the lens kept adjusting and never could set a focus. I changed auto- focus to manual-focus and pressed the shutter but this time the Shutter would not close. Then our aircraft started to vibrate and I gave up taking a photo. I placed my camera back in the Camera bag and concentrated on observing the lights. [Personal statement concerning JAL Flight 1628 sighting of unidentified air traffic, Nov. 17, 1986. Written by Capt. Kenju Terauchi; translated by Sayoko Mimoto, FAA Alaskan Region, Airway Facilities Division. Received ‘by FAA 1/2/87]