November 17th - Alaska UFO Day

Captain Terauchi with one of his drawings of the mothership UFO he saw over Alaska.

On November 17, 1986, Japan Airlines Flight 1628 (JAL 1628), a cargo flight en route from Paris to Tokyo via Anchorage, Alaska, became the center of one of the most famous and controversial UFO sightings in aviation history. Piloted by Captain Kenju Terauchi, a veteran with over 10,000 flight hours, the Boeing 747 cargo jet encountered unidentified flying objects while cruising at 35,000 feet over the remote Alaskan wilderness.

As the aircraft passed over the northeastern border of Alaska, Captain Terauchi and his crew reported seeing two strange lights to the left of the aircraft. Initially believing them to be military aircraft, the crew grew concerned when the objects approached at high speed and maintained formation with the plane. According to Terauchi, the objects exhibited characteristics that defied conventional aviation technology — including rapid acceleration, sudden stops, and maneuvers that would be impossible for any known aircraft.

A drawing by Captain Terauchi of the "mothership" craft in comparison to the 747 cargo plane. Drawn for the FAA investigation.

At one point, the objects reportedly positioned themselves directly in front of the 747, emitting a blinding light that illuminated the cockpit. Terauchi described the situation in later reports, stating he felt warmth and an unnatural energy coming from the craft.   Just after passing Fort Yukon, the two strange rectangular crafts disappeared from sight. Within 5 minutes, a very large walnut shaped craft was seen from the cockpit of JAL 1628. This massive craft (or "mothership") followed JAL 1628 as they were passing over Fairbanks. He made several urgent requests to Anchorage Air Traffic Control (ATC) to deviate from course, which were granted. The FAA also had a U.S. Air Force radar station in the area monitor the event. While the FAA radar did detect something trailing the 747 for a short time, the returns were inconsistent.

Eventually, the objects vanished from sight as JAL 1628 neared Talkeetna, and the flight proceeded without further incident to Anchorage. Captain Terauchi, deeply shaken but unharmed, filed a full report with Japanese and U.S. authorities. What followed was a wave of media coverage and government attention that briefly pushed UFO phenomena back into the mainstream spotlight.

What makes the JAL 1628 incident particularly noteworthy is the credibility of the witnesses and the level of documentation. Terauchi was considered a serious and reliable pilot by his peers, although after the incident, Japan Airlines grounded him from flying duties for several months, citing public pressure and media frenzy. He was later reinstated.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducted its own investigation, led by John Callahan, then head of the FAA’s Accidents and Investigations Division. Callahan later testified that the CIA and other government agencies showed intense interest in the radar data and pilot testimonies. According to him, meetings were held behind closed doors, and some officials appeared determined to keep details from becoming public.

Drawings and notes from Captain Terauchi of the JAL 1628 incident. Notice that the smaller craft are rectangular, while the "mothership" is walnut shaped. The loop-shaped flight pattern (bottom left) was done just past Murphy Dome, outside Fairbanks.

Despite the compelling nature of the report, the official U.S. government stance was that the radar data was inconclusive and no confirmed objects were detected. Skeptics suggested that the lights might have been bright stars, planets, or reflections from ice crystals. Still, the combination of eyewitness accounts, partial radar confirmation, and the physical effects reported in the cockpit have made this one of the most enduring and well-documented UFO cases.

The JAL 1628 incident remains unresolved to this day. For many, it stands as one of the most credible encounters between commercial aviation and the unknown — a reminder that even in a world governed by science and technology, mysteries still linger in our skies.

Citations:

• Editor. 2011. JAL Flight 1628 Over Alaska. UFO Evidence (United States).

• Weiss, Lawrence D. Oct 28, 2019. Unfriendly skies: The extraordinary flight of JAL 1628, Alaska’s best known UFO encounter.  Anchorage Press (Anchorage, AK).

There are high number of newspaper articles that cover this story. There have also been a number of documentaries and television shows that have covered the story.

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How are you celebrating Alaska UFO Day?