Interview Transcript: JAL Flight Engineer Yoshio Tsukuba Regarding November 17, 1986 UFO Sighting

This document is a transcript of an interview conducted on January 15, 1987, by FAA investigator Peter E. Beckner with Yoshio Tsukuba, a JAL flight engineer. The interview concerns a UFO sighting that occurred on November 17, 1986, involving Captain Terauchi. Tsukuba describes observing two distinct sets of lights. The first, sighted at the 11 o'clock position, appeared as clusters of white or amber lights that were larger than standard navigation lights and exhibited undulating movement. He estimated observing this object for approximately 10 minutes. A second object was observed later on the left side, bringing the total observation time to 30 minutes. Tsukuba notes that the lights in front of them were shaped like the windows of a passenger aircraft. Regarding radar, Tsukuba reports seeing a green, stream-like target at a range of approximately 10 miles, though he expressed uncertainty about whether the radar target corresponded to the lights he observed visually. He confirms that no photographs were taken because the Captain was unable to operate his Alpha 7,000 camera effectively. Tsukuba states that the weather was clear, there were no magnetic disturbances or instrument fluctuations, and he did not observe any reflections on the cockpit glass. He concludes by reiterating that the lights he saw were distinct from town lights and that his uncertainty regarding the nature of the objects has remained unchanged since his initial interview.