733667-001-018

MILITARY REPORT

AI Summary

This document contains personnel statements from various Air Traffic Control Specialists at the Anchorage ARTCC regarding an incident involving Japan Airlines Flight 1628 (JL1628) on November 18, 1986. The flight reported encountering an unidentified aircraft with white and yellow strobe lights at the same altitude, leading to multiple radar checks and inquiries with military traffic control, but no conclusive identification of the reported traffic was made.

Key Findings

- JL1628 reported traffic at the same altitude with white and yellow strobe lights. - Multiple radar returns were observed, but no military traffic was confirmed in the area. - Controllers attempted to identify the traffic but ultimately lost contact. - The incident raised concerns about a potential lost aircraft following JL1628.

OCR Text

PERSONNEL STATEMENT FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center The following is a report concerning the incident to aircraft JL1628 on November 18, 1986 at 0230 UTC. My name is Carl E . Henley (HC) I am employed as an Air Traffic Control Specialist by the Federal Aviation Administration at the Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center, Anchorage, Alaska. During the period of 2030 UTC, November 17, 1986, to 0430 UTC, November 18, 1986 I was on duty in the Anchorage ARTCC. I was working the Dl5 position from 0156 UTC, November 18, 1986 to 0230 UTC, November 18, 1986. At approximately 02252 while monitoring JL1628 on Sector 15 radar, the aircraft requested traffic information. I advised no traffic in his vicinity . The aircraft advised he had traffic 12 o'clock same altitude. I asked JL1628 if he would like higher/lower altitude and the pilot replied, negative. I checked with ROCC to see if they had military traffic in the area and to see if they had primary targets in the area. ROCC ·did have primary target in the same position JL1628 reported. Several times I had single primary returns where JL1628 reported traffic. JL1628 later requested a turn to heading 210°, I approved JL1628 to make deviations as necessary for traffic. The traffic stayed with JL1628 through turns and decent in the vicinity of FAI I requested JL1628 to make a right 360° turn to see if he could identify the aircraft, he lost contact momentarily, at which time I observed a primary target in the 6 o'clock position 5 miles. I then vectored UA69 northbo.und to FAI from ANC with his approval to see if he could identify the aircraft, he had contact with the JL1628 flight but reported no other traffic, by this time Jll628 had lost contact with the traffic. Also a military C-130 southbound to EDF from EIL advised he had plenty of fuel and would take a look, I vectored him toward the flight and climbed him to FL240, he also had no contact. Note: I requested JL1628 to identify the type or markings of the aircraft. He could not identify but reported white and yellow strobes. I requested the JL1628 to say flight conditions, he reported clear and no clouds. November 19, 1986 r PERSONNEL STATEMENT FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center January 6, 1987 The following is a report concerning the incident to Japan Airlines Flight 1628 (JL1628) North of Fairbanks, Alaska on November 18, 1986 at 0218 UTC. My name is Carl E. Henley (RC). I am employed as an Air Traffic Control Specialist by the Federal Aviation Administration at the Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), Anchorage, Alaska. During the period of 2030 UTC, November 18, 1986, to 0430 UTC, November 18, 1986 I was on duty in the Anchorage ARTCC. I was working the R/Dl5 position from 0156 UTC, November 18, 1986 to 0230 UTC, and the Rl5 position from 0230 UTC, November 18, 1986 to 0258 UTC, November 18, 1986. I am making this statement to clarify certain points in my original statement dated November 19, 1986. Ref paragraph 4: I stated in paragraph four that several times I had several primary returns where JL1~28 reported traffic; in actuality I observed three types of targets. I saw tentative radar targets which showed up as a (-) symbols~ I saw (+) symbols that indicate radar only tracks. I also saw non run lenth targets which show up as a(.) symbols. Additionally, I stated the traffic stayed with JL1628 through turns and descent, this information was what I received from JL 1628. Air Traffic Control Anchorage ARTCC r PERSONNEL STATEMENT FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center January 7, 1987 The following is a report concerning the incident involving aircraft JL 1628 north of Fairbanks on November 18, 1986 at 0218 UTC. My name is Samuel J. Rich (SR). I am employed as an Air Traffic Control Specialist by the Federal Aviation Administration at the Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center, Anchorage, Alaska. During the period of 0035 UTC, November 18, 1986, to 0835 UTC, November 18, 1986, I was on duty in the Anchorage ARTCC. I was working the Dl5 position from 0230 UTC, November 18, 1986, to 0530 UTC, November 18, 1986. The pilot of JL 1628 reported that he had traffic at his altitude. He stated it was a big plane with yellow and white lights. We advised him we had no traffic in his position. We adjusted the radar PVD to approximately a 25 mile scale and there was a radar return in the position the pilot had reported traffic. I called ROCC to ask if they had any military traffic operating near JL 1628. The ROCC said they had no military traffic in the area. I then asked them if they could see any traffic near JL 1628. ROCC advised that they had traffic near JL 1628 in the same position we did. I asked ROCC if they had any aircraft to scramble on JL 1628, they said they would call back. However, t…

Metadata

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

NARA Source

NAID
733667
File
733667-001-018.pdf
Type
application/pdf

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

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