The case record
What was reported?
JAL 747 crew reported luminous objects and a large dark object while crossing Alaska; radar data became part of the case.
- Reported date
- 17 Nov 1986
- Witnesses
- Commercial aircrew / FAA · 3 crew + controllers
- Investigation
- FAA
Evidence in the record
Eyewitness; radar records
Competing explanations
Official and research context
No exotic conclusion
Conventional explanations
Radar clutter / celestial objects / misperception proposed
Arguments that remain contested
Captain's visual account remains disputed
Locations & timeline
Coordinates are representative. Area and route labels do not imply exact paths or object positions.
- Primary reference location
Alaska flight corridor near Fort Yukon
Fort Yukon / Fairbanks
Reported event location · Approximate area radius: 200 km
66.565°, -145.249° · route · Medium
Record notes
Show Fort Yukon-to-Fairbanks route.
Imported starting record; individual claims and source links await editorial verification.
Original dataset status: Unresolved / disputed