Airspace between Elmendorf AFB and Eielson AFB, Alaska, United States
Two Aircraft UFO Encounters over Alaska (January 1987)
Civilian radar-case catalogues describe two back-to-back Alaska encounters on 30–31 January 1987: a USAF KC-135 crew reportedly saw a very large disc at close range, and an Alaska Airlines Flight 53 crew reportedly saw multiple discs and an onboard radar return. Unlike the famous November 1986 JAL 1
Why This Case Matters
Potentially strong professional-aircrew/radar cases if the underlying records exist, but they are often accidentally strengthened by borrowing documentation from the separate JAL 1628 incident.
Chronology
- 30 Jan 1987 KC-135 inbound from Elmendorf reportedly observes large disc near 20,000 ft
- FAA reportedly instructs crew to file report
- 31 Jan Alaska Airlines Flight 53 reportedly sees multiple discs and onboard radar contact
- later civilian NICAP/Project 1947 catalogues and documentary preserve accounts
The Witnesses
Evidence
The following evidence types are documented for this case:
Conventional explanations: Bright astronomical objects/aircraft with range misjudgment; weather-radar/anomalous-propagation returns; retrospective contamination from the heavily publicised JAL 1628 case.
What Remains Unresolved
- Names of crews
- FAA reports
- ATC audio
- radar data
- exact flight numbers/routes/times
- whether documentary audio is first-generation.
Key Takeaways
- Keep these January events separate from JAL 1628. They are promising professional-witness reports, but their documentation is much thinner than the famous November case.
Sources
Primary and secondary sources for this case file: