JAL Flight 1628 encounter

Record summary

The crew of Japan Air Lines Flight 1628 reported a large illuminated object accompanying their Boeing 747 over Alaska. Air-traffic-control personnel recorded communications, and radar data were later discussed in Federal Aviation Administration materials and media coverage. The event is important for comparing pilot descriptions, primary and secondary radar, controller interpretation and institutional handling. The object’s size and behavior remain disputed, with critics proposing misinterpretation of ordinary traffic or radar effects. The case is identifiable through the FAA investigation and preserved audio, but later narratives often overstate what the radar established.