JAL 1628 Flight Incident: The 1986 Alaska Encounter

<p>On November 17, 1986, Japan Airlines Flight 1628, a Boeing 747-200F cargo aircraft, was approaching Fairbanks International Airport in Alaska as daylight faded. The crew, composed of Captain Kenjyu Terauchi, an experienced pilot, and his two officers, was flying at an altitude of approximately 35,000 feet when it detected two unidentified flying objects on its radar screens.</p><h2>Context</h2><p>JAL 1628 was a regular cargo flight operating on the international commercial route connecting Reykjavik in Iceland to Tokyo. The Boeing 747 was a modern and reliable aircraft, equipped with the most advanced navigation and detection systems of that era. The crew consisted of experienced pilots: Captain Terauchi had logged more than 10,000 flight hours. The Cold War context made the Alaska region particularly monitored, with significant military presence and sophisticated radar systems covering the region.</p><h2>The Facts</h2><p>At approximately 17:11 (local time), Captain Terauchi reported abnormal radar activity, followed by visual observations. The crew described a massive object, estimated between 2,000 and 3,000 feet in length, possessing</p>