Information: Alert Report - JAL #1628 Sighting

This document collection details the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) internal handling of a UFO sighting reported by the flight crew of Japan Air Lines (JAL) flight #1628 on November 17, 1986. The cargo flight, a B747 at FL350, reported observing unidentified lighted air traffic in close proximity while en route to Tokyo via Reykjavik and Anchorage. The crew described the object as having flashing yellow, amber, and green lights, with no red lights, and estimated its size to be comparable to a B747. The sighting persisted for over 350 miles, during which the pilot observed the object on the aircraft's onboard color radar. Although the ARTCC controller reported intermittent radar targets, subsequent analysis of radar tapes yielded no valid traffic data. The US Air Force at Elmendorf AFB reported occasional primary targets on ADC radar, which the military characterized to the media as 'clutter.' Other aircraft, including UAL #69 and a military C-130, were vectored to the area but reported negative sightings. Following the incident, the FAA interviewed the JAL flight crew and concluded they were professional and rational. The incident generated significant national and international media interest, particularly following an inquiry by the Kyodo News Service. The provided documents include internal FAA route slips, an alert report, and a table of contents for an investigative file, which includes inspector reports, communication chronologies, and pilot drawings.