Type: Radar Data
Source: Federal Aviation Administration
On November 17, 1986, the crew of Japan Airlines Flight 1628 reported a UFO encounter over Alaska that was confirmed by both onboard and ground radar. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducted an investigation, and while initial radar data showed anomalous targets maneuvering at speeds exceeding conventional aircraft, the FAA officially concluded in March 1987 that there was insufficient evidence to confirm the existence of unidentified objects, citing the targets as likely split radar images.
Key details regarding the radar records and investigation include:
Radar Confirmation: Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center radar detected intermittent returns near the flight path, and NORAD (Elmendorf Air Force Base) also recorded a large unidentified object, despite NORAD confirming no military flights were in the area.
Investigation Suppression: FAA Division Chief John Callahan testified that after compiling radar tapes and audio recordings, the materials were seized by the CIA and FBI during a classified meeting, with officials reportedly stating, "This event never happened."
Declassified Records: For decades, records were claimed to be destroyed, but over 1,500 pages of declassified documents, including radar simulations and transcripts, were discovered in the National Archives and made public between 2024 and 2025.
Witness Discrediting: Captain Kenju Terauchi was grounded and reassigned to desk duty after speaking to the press, a tactic researchers describe as "witness stigmatization," and he was labeled a "UFO repeater" in internal FAA memos.