Giants Over Alaska

On November 17, 1986, Japan Airlines cargo flight 1628 encountered massive unidentified objects over eastern Alaska. Captain Kenju Terauchi, a veteran pilot, described craft “the size of two aircraft carriers.” The FAA investigated and couldn’t explain the incident.

The Flight

JAL Flight 1628:

• Boeing 747 cargo jet
• Paris to Tokyo
• Via Reykjavik and Anchorage
• Carrying wine
• Three crew members

The Captain

Kenju Terauchi:

• 29 years experience
• Former fighter pilot
• Senior captain
• Professional record
• Credible witness

First Contact

Over Alaska:

• Around 5:10 PM
• Two lights appeared
• Pacing the aircraft
• Left side
• Moving with them

The Small Objects

First craft seen:

• Two smaller objects
• Square-shaped
• With glowing panels
• Maneuvering nearby
• For several minutes

The Mothership

Then appeared:

• Massive object
• Behind the aircraft
• Silhouetted against sky
• Enormous size
• “Two aircraft carriers”

Captain’s Description

Terauchi reported:

• Walnut-shaped structure
• Multiple lights
• Pale yellow glow
• Dwarfed his 747
• Like nothing known

Crew Observations

Co-pilot and engineer:

• Also saw lights
• Confirmed sighting
• Different angles
• Multiple witnesses
• Corroborating testimony

FAA Radar

Anchorage Center:

• Tracked the objects
• Primary returns
• Near the 747
• Intermittent contact
• Documented

Military Radar

NORAD also:

• Detected something
• At same location
• Independent confirmation
• Multiple systems
• Corroborating data

The Encounter Duration

Extended contact:

• Over 30 minutes
• Objects paced aircraft
• Then departed
• Near Fairbanks
• Long observation

Captain’s Evasive Action

Terauchi requested:

• Permission to deviate
• To lose the object
• Descended
• Made turns
• Object followed

FAA Investigation

John Callahan:

• FAA Division Chief
• Led investigation
• Examined all data
• Radar, voice tapes
• Comprehensive review

Callahan’s Findings

He concluded:

• Something was there
• Radar confirmed it
• Crew credible
• No explanation
• Genuine unknown

CIA Interest

According to Callahan:

• CIA attended briefing
• Took all materials
• Requested secrecy
• High-level interest
• Later revealed

Initial Publicity

Media coverage:

• International story
• Captain interviewed
• Professional demeanor
• Consistent account
• Widespread interest

JAL Response

Airline’s reaction:

• Initially supportive
• Then reassigned Terauchi
• To desk duty
• Career affected
• Controversial decision

Significance

JAL 1628 significant for:

• Professional pilot witness
• Multiple radar confirmation
• FAA investigation
• Extended encounter
• Size of objects

Legacy

The Japan Airlines 1628 incident remains one of the best-documented pilot UFO encounters. The combination of experienced crew, extended observation, and radar confirmation from multiple sources makes it a compelling case.