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Package compiled for FAA managers

FAA via National Archives / The Black Vault · 122 pages · text from the file's own layer

This package was compiled by the FAA Alaskan Region Public Affairs Office in Anchorage and sent to FAA managers with a memo from Paul Steucke dated March 5, 1987. It gathers material on the November 17, 1986 sighting by the crew of Japan Air Lines flight 1628: a news release, pilot and controller transcripts, crew interviews and radar analysis. The FAA concluded that it could not confirm the event. It attributed the second radar target to a split, uncorrelated return from the JAL Boeing 747 and planned no further investigation.

  • p. 12 …Review of this radar data by FAA experts using identical equipment at the FAA's research…
  • p. 17 …Airways Facilities, interviewed JAL Captain Kenju Terauchi at JAL Operations, Anchorage, Alaska. The interview was conducted…
  • p. 52 …so I couldn't see, but ah at first ah, humm, (unintelligibl•) what can I write…
  • p. 53 …see at that time. P. Beckner Okay, ah was there, was there clear night? T. Tamefuji…
  • p. 58 …Tamefuji But almost dark I must say night • P. Beckner Okay, you could see the stars…
  • p. 76 …We had night illumination at above sideways. I was using a spot light while calculating the…
  • p. 100 …The aircraft was flying at 35 ,000 feet altitude at night, and the weather was clear…
M emorandum
US Department
of Tra nsportation
Federal Aviation
Administration
Subjec t ruFORMATION: Cescription of Radar Split Image;
AAL-5 Memo of 2/5/87
From Manager, Airway Facilities Division, AAL-400
To Public Affairs Officer, AAL-5
Da te.
Repl y to
Att n o f
FEB 2 7 1987
'Ihis letter transmits our analysis of the radar targets associated with
J AL flight 1628 , on November 17, 1986, an:l supplements discussions we have
had~ what has been referred to as "split images".
We concur with the interpretation provided to you by the Alaskan Region
Air Traffic Division.
'Ihe attached Analysis of Uncorrelated Primary an:l Beacon Targets by Dennis
Si.mantel covers the subject in :rore detail, an:l addresses the questions
raised in yc:m- letter.
Paul , I appreciate the team approach you have taken to more fully
un:ierstan:l a complex issue. 'Ihe issue is an excellent example of how
"interde~t " we are . If we can provide any more info:anation, please
/Lie·David F. Morse
Attaclnrent
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Document, cited by the archive. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. 122 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.