1 00:00:18,439 --> 00:00:28,109 what am I about to tell you is about an 2 00:00:22,410 --> 00:00:29,939 event that never happened I used to tell 3 00:00:28,109 --> 00:00:32,730 the people before when we get done was 4 00:00:29,939 --> 00:00:36,780 it's one of these things that says who 5 00:00:32,729 --> 00:00:40,349 you gonna believe your lying eyes or the 6 00:00:36,780 --> 00:00:42,750 government I'm John Callahan I was the 7 00:00:40,350 --> 00:00:45,000 vision chief of the accidents valuations 8 00:00:42,750 --> 00:00:47,009 and investigations division of the FAA 9 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:51,780 in Washington for six years during the 10 00:00:47,009 --> 00:00:53,939 1980s in early January 1987 I received a 11 00:00:51,780 --> 00:00:57,739 call from the air traffic quality 12 00:00:53,939 --> 00:01:01,409 control branch in the FAA Alaskan region 13 00:00:57,738 --> 00:01:03,149 office they were requesting guidance and 14 00:01:01,409 --> 00:01:05,688 what to tell the media who were 15 00:01:03,149 --> 00:01:07,799 overflowing their office 16 00:01:05,688 --> 00:01:10,199 the media was requesting information 17 00:01:07,799 --> 00:01:13,229 about the UFO that chased is Japanese 18 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:15,270 747 across the Alaskan skies for some 19 00:01:13,228 --> 00:01:17,368 thirty one minutes at flight level three 20 00:01:15,269 --> 00:01:20,548 one zero thirty one thousand and 21 00:01:17,368 --> 00:01:24,359 thirty-five thousand feet somehow the 22 00:01:20,549 --> 00:01:26,270 word got out what UFOs wanted this take 23 00:01:24,359 --> 00:01:31,409 place why wasn't Washington headquarters 24 00:01:26,269 --> 00:01:33,599 informs hey the guy says who believes in 25 00:01:31,409 --> 00:01:35,700 UFOs I just need to know what to tell 26 00:01:33,599 --> 00:01:39,118 the media to get him out of here the 27 00:01:35,700 --> 00:01:42,030 answer was simple tell him it's under 28 00:01:39,118 --> 00:01:44,340 investigation and then I said wrap it 29 00:01:42,030 --> 00:01:46,469 all up I want the disc I want the tapes 30 00:01:44,340 --> 00:01:48,478 I want everything you have over there 31 00:01:46,469 --> 00:01:51,209 and I want at the FAA tech Center 32 00:01:48,478 --> 00:01:54,149 tomorrow morning that means he has to 33 00:01:51,209 --> 00:01:56,218 put it on the midnight flight on the 34 00:01:54,149 --> 00:01:58,430 redline and it's a pain to get all that 35 00:01:56,218 --> 00:01:58,429 done 36 00:01:59,140 --> 00:02:04,420 Japanese airline flight 1628 was a cargo 37 00:02:02,439 --> 00:02:04,780 jet with a pilot copilot and one crew 38 00:02:04,420 --> 00:02:08,110 member 39 00:02:04,780 --> 00:02:12,759 they were just north of Anchorage it was 40 00:02:08,110 --> 00:02:14,220 about 11 p.m. but that's the time is not 41 00:02:12,759 --> 00:02:17,590 really correct it was closer to 5:00 42 00:02:14,219 --> 00:02:19,359 when the pilot first reported the UFO he 43 00:02:17,590 --> 00:02:20,650 described it as a huge ball with lights 44 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:23,770 running around that he said it was about 45 00:02:20,650 --> 00:02:25,659 four times bigger than the 747 he was 46 00:02:23,770 --> 00:02:27,939 riding and remember the 747 has an 47 00:02:25,659 --> 00:02:29,709 elevator and he's looking out the window 48 00:02:27,939 --> 00:02:34,120 when he sees something that's four times 49 00:02:29,709 --> 00:02:37,150 the size of his aircraft he said he saw 50 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:38,009 it with his eyes his lying eyes he saw 51 00:02:37,150 --> 00:02:41,349 it 52 00:02:38,009 --> 00:02:44,519 the copilot with them saw it and the 53 00:02:41,349 --> 00:02:46,930 other crew member all saw it visually 54 00:02:44,519 --> 00:02:49,450 over the course the next 31 minutes the 55 00:02:46,930 --> 00:02:51,760 UFO jumped miles in a few seconds the 56 00:02:49,449 --> 00:02:54,459 radar sweep at that antenna was like 10 57 00:02:51,759 --> 00:02:56,199 seconds so at one time he says it's over 58 00:02:54,459 --> 00:02:59,319 here at 12 o'clock in eight miles and 59 00:02:56,199 --> 00:03:03,639 when the antenna goes by we see a target 60 00:02:59,319 --> 00:03:06,340 there ten seconds later it is now behind 61 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:09,458 them six seven miles behind them so it's 62 00:03:06,340 --> 00:03:11,530 going from from eight miles out here to 63 00:03:09,459 --> 00:03:16,090 six or seven miles back here really you 64 00:03:11,530 --> 00:03:18,009 know like five or six seconds okay after 65 00:03:16,090 --> 00:03:19,780 receiving the data from Alaska almost 66 00:03:18,009 --> 00:03:22,000 too much light up this happened i 67 00:03:19,780 --> 00:03:24,099 briefed my boss javi Saphir and the FAA 68 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:26,530 ministry at the time was Admiral ingen 69 00:03:24,099 --> 00:03:27,969 and the Admiral said to go to the tech 70 00:03:26,530 --> 00:03:31,329 side to find out what's happening I want 71 00:03:27,969 --> 00:03:33,189 to know what's going on now the FAA had 72 00:03:31,329 --> 00:03:35,079 developed a program that was capable of 73 00:03:33,189 --> 00:03:37,120 recreating the traffic on the controller 74 00:03:35,079 --> 00:03:40,510 scope we call it today a plan view 75 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:42,250 display pbd I instructed the FAA 76 00:03:40,509 --> 00:03:44,109 specialists to synchronize the voice 77 00:03:42,250 --> 00:03:45,519 tapes with the radar data so we could 78 00:03:44,110 --> 00:03:47,230 hear everything the control and the 79 00:03:45,519 --> 00:03:49,959 pilot said and we could be looking at 80 00:03:47,229 --> 00:03:51,909 the scope at the same time so it would 81 00:03:49,959 --> 00:03:55,920 be as if you were standing behind the 82 00:03:51,909 --> 00:03:55,919 controller watching what was going on 83 00:03:56,419 --> 00:04:00,919 the printout and radar playback 84 00:03:58,580 --> 00:04:04,219 displayed primary targets in the 85 00:04:00,919 --> 00:04:06,199 vicinity of the 747 these target returns 86 00:04:04,219 --> 00:04:11,000 were displayed about the same time place 87 00:04:06,199 --> 00:04:13,729 as the pilot advised viewing the UFO and 88 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:18,350 if we had the capability of showing you 89 00:04:13,729 --> 00:04:20,000 this you would see it also cost the CIA 90 00:04:18,350 --> 00:04:23,980 he said you can't see it because it's 91 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:26,300 not there now 92 00:04:23,980 --> 00:04:29,150 both the radar manual controller 93 00:04:26,300 --> 00:04:31,970 observed the primary target the military 94 00:04:29,149 --> 00:04:33,679 control is also viewed the primary 95 00:04:31,970 --> 00:04:37,669 target on their radar and they 96 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:40,250 identified it as a double primary a very 97 00:04:37,668 --> 00:04:42,560 large primary the pilot and crew viewed 98 00:04:40,250 --> 00:04:45,980 the target on their radar and they will 99 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:48,769 also able see the huge UFO LT with their 100 00:04:45,980 --> 00:04:51,340 own eyes now if this craft had been a 101 00:04:48,769 --> 00:04:54,409 legit or a military aircraft and today's 102 00:04:51,339 --> 00:04:56,060 air traffic operations when the pilot 103 00:04:54,410 --> 00:04:58,490 looks out the window and sees somebody 104 00:04:56,060 --> 00:04:59,750 shooting across his nose or flying along 105 00:04:58,490 --> 00:05:01,939 with them the first thing he does is 106 00:04:59,750 --> 00:05:04,610 call the air traffic and say hey do you 107 00:05:01,939 --> 00:05:06,110 have traffic at my altitude and the 108 00:05:04,610 --> 00:05:08,180 controller would panic looks at the 109 00:05:06,110 --> 00:05:10,189 scope and says no way you want to make 110 00:05:08,180 --> 00:05:12,709 traffic at your altitude well it's an 111 00:05:10,189 --> 00:05:15,829 unknown the air traffic controller then 112 00:05:12,709 --> 00:05:17,629 says we will track that guy until he 113 00:05:15,829 --> 00:05:19,370 lands and we'll have flight standards 114 00:05:17,629 --> 00:05:20,839 meet them down there we're going to 115 00:05:19,370 --> 00:05:23,360 write them up but poles take it we'll do 116 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:27,679 whatever we have to do but the pilot 117 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:30,800 basically said it's a UFO well who 118 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:32,540 believes in UFOs and this is the kind of 119 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:36,150 attitude that the air traffic had at the 120 00:05:32,540 --> 00:05:38,160 time so 121 00:05:36,149 --> 00:05:39,870 when I went back to headquarters I gave 122 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:42,090 Admiral Engel a quick briefing it showed 123 00:05:39,870 --> 00:05:44,668 him the video he set up a briefing with 124 00:05:42,089 --> 00:05:46,500 the President Reagan scientific staff he 125 00:05:44,668 --> 00:05:49,319 told me my function was to hand this 126 00:05:46,500 --> 00:05:51,540 operation off to those people and those 127 00:05:49,319 --> 00:05:53,969 people ended up being the CIA the 128 00:05:51,540 --> 00:05:58,500 president's group a bunch of grunts that 129 00:05:53,970 --> 00:06:00,570 came to the meeting the Admiral says I 130 00:05:58,500 --> 00:06:04,259 want you to hand them off because the 131 00:06:00,569 --> 00:06:12,418 FAA does not control UFOs we want an out 132 00:06:04,259 --> 00:06:14,728 of our district now I brought a copy of 133 00:06:12,418 --> 00:06:16,918 the videotape I made I had bought a 134 00:06:14,728 --> 00:06:20,089 camera for Christmas just before this 135 00:06:16,918 --> 00:06:22,289 happened and I took a videotape of it 136 00:06:20,089 --> 00:06:23,879 when I got home I showed it to my wife 137 00:06:22,290 --> 00:06:26,430 and my neighbors I made a copy of it 138 00:06:23,879 --> 00:06:29,129 when I went to the to the briefing we 139 00:06:26,430 --> 00:06:31,530 put on this video for the people there 140 00:06:29,129 --> 00:06:33,209 two or three times so it takes you know 141 00:06:31,529 --> 00:06:34,829 half hour so we'll talk about nine and a 142 00:06:33,209 --> 00:06:36,689 half or so they asked a bunch of 143 00:06:34,829 --> 00:06:38,250 questions very intelligent questions 144 00:06:36,689 --> 00:06:39,449 they want to know the speed of the 145 00:06:38,250 --> 00:06:42,050 antenna they want to know the frequency 146 00:06:39,449 --> 00:06:44,400 of the antenna they want to know the 147 00:06:42,050 --> 00:06:45,840 beam width of the antenna they want to 148 00:06:44,399 --> 00:06:47,609 know the algorithm for the height 149 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:49,489 finding equipment and the people I 150 00:06:47,610 --> 00:06:52,650 brought up in the room were all 151 00:06:49,490 --> 00:06:54,509 headquarters technical engineers 152 00:06:52,649 --> 00:06:56,370 hardware and software people and they 153 00:06:54,509 --> 00:06:58,800 gave those answers like they were a high 154 00:06:56,370 --> 00:07:00,810 school math coach a square B Square C 155 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:03,288 square they spit that stuff right out it 156 00:07:00,810 --> 00:07:11,519 was really amazing watch these guys work 157 00:07:03,288 --> 00:07:14,399 when they get done the the CIA said to 158 00:07:11,519 --> 00:07:20,969 all the people there this event never 159 00:07:14,399 --> 00:07:22,939 happened we were never here and you're 160 00:07:20,970 --> 00:07:25,919 all sworn to secrecy 161 00:07:22,939 --> 00:07:28,918 we are confiscating all this data and 162 00:07:25,918 --> 00:07:30,750 they did they took everything that was 163 00:07:28,918 --> 00:07:32,430 in the room in those days when you print 164 00:07:30,750 --> 00:07:34,949 it out something from the computer it 165 00:07:32,430 --> 00:07:39,060 printed out boxes and boxes and boxes of 166 00:07:34,949 --> 00:07:41,788 the user these printouts you remember 167 00:07:39,060 --> 00:07:44,699 these from the from the days when we 168 00:07:41,788 --> 00:07:47,459 used to say it on TV boxes and boxes of 169 00:07:44,699 --> 00:07:49,289 this stuff this is titled UFO incident 170 00:07:47,459 --> 00:07:52,539 at Anchorage 11 18 171 00:07:49,290 --> 00:07:54,069 86 and it tells you what theta is in 172 00:07:52,540 --> 00:07:55,600 here so we could take a chart and we 173 00:07:54,069 --> 00:07:58,599 could reproduce everything that the 174 00:07:55,600 --> 00:08:03,389 control is seen on a piece of paper well 175 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:06,850 they took all that data a few days later 176 00:08:03,389 --> 00:08:09,569 they brought in a few weeks later I 177 00:08:06,850 --> 00:08:13,990 guess it was they brought in the FAA z' 178 00:08:09,569 --> 00:08:17,259 report of the event that never happened 179 00:08:13,990 --> 00:08:18,790 I hadn't put it on a little table in my 180 00:08:17,259 --> 00:08:20,529 room in a corner and I said well leave 181 00:08:18,790 --> 00:08:21,760 it there and when the CIA wants the rest 182 00:08:20,529 --> 00:08:23,829 of the data I'm sure they're going to 183 00:08:21,759 --> 00:08:25,839 come and get it not too long after that 184 00:08:23,829 --> 00:08:29,079 they brought the voice tapes for the 185 00:08:25,839 --> 00:08:31,299 same incident and we put that on top of 186 00:08:29,079 --> 00:08:33,490 that package waiting for the CIA to come 187 00:08:31,300 --> 00:08:38,379 and get it now when I was at the Tech 188 00:08:33,490 --> 00:08:40,210 Center I had the the software engineers 189 00:08:38,379 --> 00:08:43,028 and the hardware engineers put together 190 00:08:40,210 --> 00:08:46,778 a chart that would show every target 191 00:08:43,028 --> 00:08:48,639 belong to route of flight and what they 192 00:08:46,778 --> 00:08:50,409 did is they commented on it this is when 193 00:08:48,639 --> 00:08:51,580 we first saw the UFO this is when the 194 00:08:50,409 --> 00:08:53,829 pilot sort of go for this one the 195 00:08:51,580 --> 00:08:56,800 military guy saw the UFO all the way 196 00:08:53,830 --> 00:08:58,389 down here there's two of these it's it's 197 00:08:56,799 --> 00:09:00,069 ripped off here a little bit because it 198 00:08:58,389 --> 00:09:01,480 ended up in my bond for a couple of 199 00:09:00,070 --> 00:09:07,570 years I didn't know it was in the box 200 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:09,190 and the mice were eating it when I get 201 00:09:07,570 --> 00:09:12,550 done with this great thing now we're 202 00:09:09,190 --> 00:09:14,440 talking to the engineers that build the 203 00:09:12,549 --> 00:09:17,169 air traffic control system hardware and 204 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:18,760 software when they get done hanging this 205 00:09:17,169 --> 00:09:21,309 up on the wall I said tell me what those 206 00:09:18,759 --> 00:09:24,069 dots are what is it the hardware 207 00:09:21,309 --> 00:09:24,789 engineers get up and set this problem 208 00:09:24,070 --> 00:09:27,670 over here 209 00:09:24,789 --> 00:09:31,179 that's a software problem and this one 210 00:09:27,669 --> 00:09:33,219 over here software problem every time 211 00:09:31,179 --> 00:09:35,799 all the way down it's a software problem 212 00:09:33,220 --> 00:09:38,860 there's nothing wrong with the hardware 213 00:09:35,799 --> 00:09:39,250 system so I said fine it makes sense to 214 00:09:38,860 --> 00:09:42,659 me 215 00:09:39,250 --> 00:09:45,120 so the software guy gets up and he says 216 00:09:42,659 --> 00:09:48,789 this target over here 217 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:51,820 that's a hardware problem and this one 218 00:09:48,789 --> 00:09:54,278 here a hardware problem there was no 219 00:09:51,820 --> 00:09:57,370 software problems and there was no 220 00:09:54,278 --> 00:09:59,379 hardware problems well what do we have 221 00:09:57,370 --> 00:10:00,789 if we don't have anything do we ever 222 00:09:59,379 --> 00:10:04,240 target there or not 223 00:10:00,789 --> 00:10:08,969 while one man get up and said my 224 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:13,930 religion forbids me to believe in UFOs 225 00:10:08,970 --> 00:10:16,509 so I said fine I gave the the brief and 226 00:10:13,929 --> 00:10:18,609 they carried all the stuff they took it 227 00:10:16,509 --> 00:10:20,830 out this stuff stayed in my office for 228 00:10:18,610 --> 00:10:22,330 two years when I left one of the 229 00:10:20,830 --> 00:10:23,830 specialists commanded in order to get me 230 00:10:22,330 --> 00:10:25,540 out they packed up everything that was 231 00:10:23,830 --> 00:10:27,400 hanging there all the stuff on the walls 232 00:10:25,539 --> 00:10:32,769 and they put it in boxes and shipped it 233 00:10:27,399 --> 00:10:35,110 to my house today I like to say that 234 00:10:32,769 --> 00:10:36,850 most people working as FAA controllers 235 00:10:35,110 --> 00:10:41,230 they're not really familiar with how the 236 00:10:36,850 --> 00:10:43,149 FAA system works they don't know why 237 00:10:41,230 --> 00:10:46,840 aircraft traveling through our airspace 238 00:10:43,149 --> 00:10:51,250 is not displayed under scope they don't 239 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:53,980 know why I do that they don't the system 240 00:10:51,250 --> 00:10:57,250 today in the organization of the FAA is 241 00:10:53,980 --> 00:11:00,879 not configured to identify and track 242 00:10:57,250 --> 00:11:02,350 these type of performances that's the 243 00:11:00,879 --> 00:11:08,279 end of my speech who are you gonna 244 00:11:02,350 --> 00:11:08,279 believe you lyin eyes or the government