Summary

On November 17, 1986, Japan Airlines cargo flight 1628 encountered multiple unidentified flying objects during a flight from Iceland to Japan. Captain Kenju Terauchi, a veteran pilot with over 10,000 flight hours, reported two smaller objects that approached the Boeing 747 and a gigantic spacecraft “two times bigger than an aircraft carrier.” The objects were tracked on both civilian and military radar, performed impossible maneuvers, and paced the aircraft for over 30 minutes. Despite the credible witnesses and radar confirmation, attempts were made to discredit the crew. The incident remains one of the most well-documented pilot encounters with UFOs.

The Flight

Cargo Mission

JAL Flight 1628:

  • Boeing 747 cargo aircraft
  • Reykjavik to Anchorage route
  • Carrying Beaujolais wine
  • Routine polar flight
  • Clear weather conditions

The Crew

Three experienced aviators:

  • Captain Kenju Terauchi (47)
  • Co-pilot Takanori Tamefuji
  • Flight Engineer Yoshio Tsukuba

Captain Terauchi’s credentials:

  • Over 10,000 flight hours
  • 29 years experience
  • Former fighter pilot
  • Impeccable record

Initial Contact

First Sighting

At 5:09 PM Alaska time:

  • Flying at 35,000 feet
  • Speed 525 mph
  • Northeast of Fort Yukon
  • Noticed lights ahead
  • Initially thought aircraft

The Approach

Within minutes:

  • Two objects approached
  • Positioned alongside cockpit
  • About 2,000 feet away
  • Matched aircraft speed exactly
  • Square-shaped with glowing nozzles

Close Observation

Captain Terauchi described:

  • Two craft side by side
  • Rectangular arrays of nozzles
  • Amber and whitish lights
  • Heat felt on face
  • Interior of cockpit lit up

Extraordinary Maneuvers

Formation Flying

The two objects:

  • Maintained precise position
  • Flew in formation with 747
  • Sudden movements impossible for aircraft
  • Instant stops and starts
  • Defied known physics

Radar Contact

At 5:19 PM:

  • Anchorage Center confirmed radar targets
  • Military radar also tracking
  • Objects clearly visible
  • Matching crew descriptions

Communication

Captain reported to ATC:

  • Two spaceships alongside
  • Requested deviation
  • Controller confirmed targets
  • Other aircraft asked to confirm

The Giant Mothership

Appearance of Third Object

At 5:23 PM:

  • Massive object appeared
  • Behind and above JAL 1628
  • Two smaller craft departed
  • Joined the larger craft

Size Description

Captain Terauchi stated: “The thing was huge… two times bigger than an aircraft carrier.”

Estimated dimensions:

  • Larger than any known aircraft
  • Cylindrical shape visible
  • Dark silhouette against sky
  • Lights around perimeter

Pursuit Begins

The giant craft:

  • Followed JAL 1628
  • Maintained constant distance
  • Mimicked every turn
  • Clearly under intelligent control

Evasive Actions

Permission to Maneuver

Captain requested:

  • Deviation from flight path
  • Descent to different altitude
  • Various heading changes
  • ATC approved all requests

The 360-Degree Turn

Most dramatic moment:

  • Full circle turn executed
  • Object maintained position
  • Impossible for conventional aircraft
  • Demonstrated advanced capability
  • Crew increasingly concerned

Descent Attempt

747 descended to 31,000 feet:

  • Object followed precisely
  • No change in relative position
  • Speed matched exactly
  • Clear intelligent response

Radar Documentation

FAA Radar

Anchorage Center recorded:

  • Primary target returns
  • Consistent with visual reports
  • Duration over 30 minutes
  • Multiple radar sites

Military Confirmation

NORAD radar showed:

  • Unidentified targets
  • Matching FAA data
  • High-speed capabilities
  • Unconventional movements

Split Radar Return

Unusual characteristic:

  • Single object showed as two
  • Targets would merge and split
  • Suggested large size
  • Confused operators

Additional Witnesses

United Airlines Flight

UA flight in vicinity:

  • Asked to confirm
  • Too far for visual
  • Offered to investigate
  • JAL crew declined

Ground Radar Operators

Multiple controllers:

  • Saw targets on scope
  • Confirmed unusual behavior
  • Documented events
  • Later pressured to recant

The Departure

Final Phase

After 31 minutes:

  • Objects suddenly departed
  • Extreme acceleration observed
  • Disappeared from radar
  • Left crew shaken

Landing in Anchorage

JAL 1628:

  • Landed safely
  • Crew immediately debriefed
  • Reports filed
  • Investigation launched

Official Investigation

FAA Response

Initial reaction:

  • Took reports seriously
  • Interviewed all crew
  • Collected radar data
  • Prepared detailed report

John Callahan’s Role

FAA Division Chief:

  • Compiled evidence
  • Prepared presentation
  • Briefed intelligence agencies
  • Later became whistleblower

The CIA Meeting

Callahan later revealed:

  • CIA officials present
  • FBI representatives
  • “Reagan’s scientific team”
  • Viewed radar playback
  • Confiscated evidence

Official Conclusion

Agencies declared:

  • “Event never happened”
  • Ordered silence
  • Evidence classified
  • Cover-up initiated

Pressure on Crew

Captain Terauchi

Following the incident:

  • Grounded from flying
  • Assigned desk duty
  • Ridiculed in media
  • Pressure to recant
  • Maintained his story

Other Crew Members

Co-pilot and engineer:

  • Initially confirmed sighting
  • Later became reluctant
  • Pressured to minimize
  • Careers threatened

Media Coverage

Initial Reports

Story broke internationally:

  • Major newspapers covered
  • TV interviews conducted
  • Sensation worldwide
  • Focus on captain’s claims

Debunking Attempts

Explanations offered:

  • Jupiter and Mars
  • Ice crystals
  • Radar malfunction
  • Pilot fatigue
  • None fit facts

Captain’s Response

Terauchi stated: “I know what I saw. It was a UFO, and it was real.”

John Callahan’s Disclosure

Whistleblower Testimony

Years later, Callahan revealed:

  • Complete radar data saved
  • Video playback preserved
  • Government cover-up confirmed
  • Evidence still exists

Hidden Evidence

Callahan maintained:

  • 30 minutes of radar data
  • Voice recordings
  • Computer printouts
  • All ordered destroyed
  • He kept copies

Technical Analysis

Radar Evidence

Data showed:

  • Solid returns
  • Intelligent movement
  • Size calculations
  • Speed estimates
  • Altitude matching

Performance Characteristics

Objects demonstrated:

  • Instant acceleration
  • Hovering capability
  • Formation precision
  • Trans-medium travel
  • Technology beyond known

Similar Incidents

Other Pilot Encounters

JAL 1628 similar to:

  • Tehran 1976
  • Belgium F-16s 1990
  • Mexico City pilots
  • Chilean Navy 2014

Alaska UFO Activity

Region known for:

  • Military sightings
  • Civilian encounters
  • Radar anomalies
  • Historical reports

Physical Effects

Heat Sensation

Captain reported:

  • Warmth on face
  • Despite cockpit windows
  • From object’s lights
  • Unusual characteristic

Electromagnetic Effects

Some interference with:

  • Communication clarity
  • Instrument readings
  • Typical of UFO encounters

Investigation Flaws

Rushed Dismissal

Official investigation:

  • Predetermined outcome
  • Evidence ignored
  • Witnesses discredited
  • Cover-up apparent

Missing Data

Key evidence vanished:

  • Radar recordings
  • Controller testimonies
  • Military data
  • Communications logs

Long-term Impact

Aviation Community

Incident influenced:

  • Pilot reporting reluctance
  • UFO protocol development
  • International awareness
  • Safety considerations

Captain Terauchi

Later years:

  • Returned to flying
  • Maintained story
  • Became UFO advocate
  • Inspired other pilots

Modern Relevance

Pentagon Acknowledgment

Recent admissions:

  • UAPs are real
  • Pilots encouraged to report
  • Similar to JAL 1628
  • Vindication of sorts

Technology Questions

Objects displayed:

  • Trans-medium capability
  • Instant acceleration
  • Intelligent control
  • Unknown propulsion

Significance

JAL 1628 important because:

  • Credible professional witnesses
  • Extended duration encounter
  • Radar confirmation
  • Government cover-up exposed
  • Physical effects noted
  • Size unprecedented

Conclusions

The JAL 1628 encounter proves:

  • Unknown craft operate in airspace
  • Technology beyond conventional
  • Government knowledge hidden
  • Pilots risk careers reporting
  • Evidence can be suppressed
  • Truth eventually emerges

Captain Terauchi and his crew encountered something extraordinary over Alaska in 1986. Whether the objects were:

  • Extraterrestrial craft
  • Secret military projects
  • Unknown phenomenon
  • Inter-dimensional visitors

The combination of professional pilot testimony, radar evidence, and government reaction makes this one of the most significant UFO encounters in aviation history. John Callahan’s whistleblower revelations confirm both the reality of the event and the effort to hide it. The courage of Captain Terauchi in maintaining his account, despite professional consequences, ensures this remarkable encounter remains part of the permanent record of humanity’s interaction with the unknown.