733667-001-031-0014

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Ss «6D. APA- 1-CLFAA) bee 50,1/%4 IBY JAL B747 PILOT, CARGO, ON NOV. 17, 1986. ITEM DID NOT BECOME NEWS YJUNTIL KYODO NEWS SERVICE (JAPAN) PICKED IT UP IN JAPAN SOMEHOW AND JISTARTED ASKING QUESTIONS ON DEC. 24TH. UPI PICKED IT UP FROM JAPAN ON J}JDEC. 29 WHEN IT WENT ON WIRE. BEST REGARDS, PAUL STEUCKE. On November 17, 1986, at approximately 6:30 pm, the Captain of a JAL B?747 Cargo flight, enroute to Anchorage and Toyko over the N.Pole, reported sighting what appeared to be another aircraft flying about 8 miles from him at the same speed and direction. he reported the other air traffic, which had white and yellow strobe lights that were not in a usual aircraft pattern, to the Anch. ir Route Traffic Control Center, and requested a report as to weither r mot there was other aircraft in the area. The controller reported there were none in the area, although he did at times see another blip on radar along with the JAL flight. (Military radar at Elmendorf AFB also reported seeing the second target.) The JAL Captain requested a change in altitude from 350 to 310, and lso performed a 360 degree turn in an attempt to discover if the mystery ights followed. The lights moved from in back of the Jal flight to the side and front during the early encounter, but disappeared after the 360 turn. All three crew members os the JAL flight saw the lights and provided interviews to )FAA upon landing at Anchorage. O &D ih — & Near Ne Ne ae ee te es das es es ss as es es a —— % peer SS SES SS." Ctrl-Break to go off-line DGC Terminal The lights moved from in back of the Jal flight to the side and front during the early encounter, but disappeared after the 360 turn. All three crew members os the JAL Flight saw the lights and provided interviews to FAA upon landing at Anchorage. The Controller, with the approval of a United Airlines flight, enroute (approval of the Captain of the Flight) northbound from Anchorage to Fairbanks, deviated his flgiht path so thet he could observe the JAL flight and check for lights. The United Airlines Captain reported that he saw the JAL flight clearly against a grey background but did not see any other object or lights. Interviews of the crew by FAA revealed only that the crew wes professional, well trained, rational, not affected by drugs or alcohol, and that all three saw something with blinking lights accompany them for about 50 miles across the Northern part of Alaska. The Fairbanks FAA Airport Approach radar tried to locate the econd target as the flight came and went through their J]imited radar and, but did not find anything. U.S. Military authorities were promptly notified by FAA at the time of the sighting but were unable to provide any information that might larify the identity of the lighted object. There were no other reports of unknown objects in the area by other aircraft, although there were few aircraft in the erea at the time. The FAA has collected information on the tncident but is not investigating it as there is notlhing to Invesi gate. END Ctrl-Break to go off-line DGC Terminal )) )) )) )) )) )) )) )) )) )) )) )) )) )) )) J)s Jr )) pot Je )) )) ye ))