Project UFO 2x03 - Sighting 4016 The Pipeline Incident.
Transcript
00:00These are unidentified flying objects.
00:29Are they proof that we are being visited by civilizations from other stars?
00:46Or just what are they?
01:16What do we got?
01:38Not much.
01:39A flock of geese and a cargo plane making its weekly run.
01:42Well, I'm going off duty.
01:45Take over for me, will you?
01:46Sure thing, Lieutenant.
01:48Oh, shoot.
01:50Well, that's the kind of talent you get when you hire a correspondence school navigator.
02:19Don't blame me.
02:20I'm not his daddy.
02:21He's only my nephew.
02:22All right, you guys.
02:23Knock it off.
02:24Oh, by the way, Uncle Don, don't forget, you owe the beers when we get to Fairbanks.
02:32I believe it's four beers.
02:35Four beers.
02:36Right, then.
02:38And I always pay my bets.
02:41That's right.
02:42Especially when I'm there to help enforce it.
02:45He's a little strange.
02:46Don?
02:47Yeah?
02:48Scope's painting traffic bearing 3-1-0 degrees.
02:49Another plane?
02:50Out here?
02:51I make it about ten miles.
02:52Closing.
02:53Should be dead ahead.
02:54Don't see a thing.
02:55Well, we're in a double inversion situation.
02:56It could simply be a failure.
02:57I don't see a thing.
02:58I don't see a thing.
02:59I don't see a thing.
03:00I don't see a thing.
03:01I don't see a thing.
03:02I don't see a thing.
03:03I don't see a thing.
03:04I don't see a thing.
03:05I don't see a thing.
03:06I don't see a thing.
03:07I don't see a thing.
03:08I don't see a thing.
03:09I don't see a thing.
03:10I don't see a thing.
03:11I don't see a thing.
03:12I don't see a thing.
03:13I don't see a thing.
03:14I don't see a thing.
03:15I don't see a thing.
03:16I don't see a thing.
03:17I don't see a thing.
03:18I don't see a thing.
03:19I don't see a thing.
03:20I don't see a thing.
03:21I don't see a thing.
03:22I don't see a thing.
03:23I don't see a thing.
03:24I don't see a thing.
03:25I don't see a thing.
03:26I don't see a thing.
03:27I don't see a thing.
03:28I don't see a thing.
03:29I don't see a thing.
03:30I don't see a thing.
03:31I don't see a thing.
03:32I don't see a thing.
03:33I don't see a thing.
03:34I don't see a thing.
03:35Well, that doesn't hurt, does it?
03:51No, ma'am.
03:52Looks like you ran your arm into a jet engine.
03:54Not exactly.
03:55Fixing your car, then?
03:56No, ma'am.
03:57I can't rightly say it was my car.
03:58Well, what did you burn it on?
04:00A lock.
04:02A what?
04:03A lock.
04:04An ancient oriental Chinese cooking implement employing high temperatures to achieve quick frying.
04:09I was putting it through a test run in my quarters.
04:12Test run?
04:13Yes, ma'am.
04:14I'm taking an oriental cooking class, trying my first recipe.
04:18You ever had any shrimp Cantonese?
04:20Shrimp Cantonese? Can't say I have.
04:22See, what you do is you get yourself a pound and a half of shrimp,
04:25maybe a half a pound of pork finely ground,
04:28add one egg, two tablespoons of soy sauce...
04:31Sergeant Fitz!
04:32Yes, sir!
04:33I hope you're well enough to travel.
04:35I'm fine, sir.
04:36Major, do you anticipate any further medical difficulties with this patient?
04:39No. I would keep him out of the kitchen.
04:42I intend to.
04:44We're catching a KC-135 in 28 minutes.
04:46Pack a raincoat.
04:47Eielson reports a 60% chance of precip.
04:50Eielson? Alabama?
04:51Close. Alaska.
04:54Alaska? Can they send us there?
04:57Unless they seceded.
05:04Well...
05:06nothing wrong with that radar antenna.
05:08Zinni, you're sure?
05:10If the scope painted something, there was something there.
05:12Well, that helps some, I guess.
05:15Zinni, what I don't understand is this voice recorder breakdown.
05:20These units are self-contained.
05:22They're almost foolproof.
05:24Tim, like I said before, on these older ships,
05:26sometimes happens, equipment wears out.
05:28Anyway, if you were figuring on listening to the audio of yesterday's flight, forget it.
05:31Tape's blank.
05:33Zinni, I appreciate this.
05:35Anytime.
05:43Hi.
05:51I thought we were having lunch.
05:53I thought so.
05:56I thought we were having lunch.
05:58I know.
06:00I called from the restaurant.
06:02They said you were busy, but would call right back.
06:04Tim, that was a half hour ago.
06:06Sweetheart, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
06:09We started checking the equipment, and I completely forgot about time.
06:13What exactly were you working on all this time?
06:16Zinni and I had to go over the radar.
06:18Again? Tim, this UFO business is driving me up the wall.
06:21Now, look, sweetheart, we're gonna have an investigation.
06:24Now, I've got to be sure.
06:26That you weren't seeing things.
06:29That's not very funny.
06:31Sorry. I didn't mean that.
06:33Look, I'll tell you what.
06:35Why don't we go have dinner at the Pipeliners?
06:37How does that sound?
06:39Just don't report any Martians between now and 6.
06:43You're a laughing minute today.
06:55What do you want? Cream of sugar?
06:57No, thanks.
07:00Tim's taking that plane apart.
07:03So what?
07:05He's a flight engineer.
07:07Aircraft maintenance. That's his job.
07:09This isn't maintenance, and you know it.
07:11He's filed a UFO report.
07:14I don't care.
07:16I don't care.
07:18I don't care.
07:20I don't care.
07:22He's filed a UFO report.
07:25I think maybe you and I had better talk to him about this.
07:29Now.
07:31Worth, what's this I hear about Jenkins seeing a flying saucer yesterday?
07:35And on company time.
07:37Relax, Lou.
07:39The kid got a little excited by a weather balloon.
07:41Yeah? Well, he's not the only one who's a little excited.
07:44You know, the Air Force is sending a couple of guys up here.
07:47All the way from Wright-Patt in Dayton.
07:49Now, he's your nephew. Talk to him.
07:51We don't want a lot of trouble.
07:53Lou, there won't be any trouble.
07:55Yeah, I hope not.
07:57If you guys ain't flying, you don't make money.
07:59And I don't make money.
08:01By the way, Worth.
08:03Knock off your check flight for this week, huh?
08:05Roger.
08:06You know, I gotta do everything around here.
08:21Excuse me, gentlemen.
08:46Aircraft commander wanted you to know that we're running a little late.
08:48Problems?
08:49No, sir. No problems. Just a short side trip.
08:52SAC command post has ordered us to refuel a B-52 that's on a mission to the polar region.
08:56Soon as we fill her up, she'll be on her way.
08:59You'll have to strap your chutes on during refueling.
09:01It's a routine procedure.
09:03You the boom operator?
09:04Right. Sergeant Billy Hanson at your service.
09:07Well, I've got a customer waiting, so you're welcome to watch the show over my shoulder if you want.
09:12Rendezvous in five minutes.
09:15Let's go. It'll be fun to see it from this end for a change.
09:46Hello, Bravo 14. This is Petrel 1. Over.
09:49Roger, Petrel 1. Bravo 14. Closing.
09:54Roger, Bravo. Just felt your bump. Standing by for connect.
09:58Roger. Coming up now. Reading all lights.
10:02You're right in there, Bravo.
10:06Ease it forward a bit. There you go.
10:09Probe moving in.
10:11It's a solid contact. Ready for transfer.
10:13Roger, Petrel. Fill her up.
10:16Bravo 14. Petrel 1 aborting. Boom up.
10:19You've backed off too far, Bravo 14.
10:21Roger, Petrel 1. Sorry about that.
10:24Bravo ready to reestablish.
10:26Roger, Bravo. Petrel 1 ready here.
10:30Ease it forward. Just a bit more.
10:34There you go.
10:39Connecting now.
10:42Light is green. Ready to transfer on your call.
10:45Roger, Petrel 1. Send it down.
10:51That's it. Good hookup. Ready to separate.
10:54Roger, Bravo 14.
10:56Have a good night, sir. A boom to pilot. Refueling complete.
10:59Break. Now.
11:12That was some show.
11:33Routine, Sergeant. Just routine.
11:35Sergeant, how much fuel did you transfer?
11:37Shade over 60,000 pounds, sir.
11:39That's over 9,000 gallons. Wow.
11:43Did he have a credit card?
11:44No, he's a good customer. We trust him.
11:46We'll bill him at the end of the month.
11:49He would have saved 5 cents a gallon if he had served himself.
12:10Summertime in Alaska.
12:13Wonder if we'll see any moose around.
12:15Moose? Since when have you been interested in moose?
12:17Well, they're not too prevalent back in six miles South Carolina.
12:20You might try Mount McKinley National Park. They've got a nice selection.
12:23Personally, I'd be more interested in the chocolate moose at the hotel.
12:26Yeah. Uncle Buddy used to buy some of those around Easter time.
12:30Chocolate moose?
12:31Oh, yeah. Chocolate ducks and bunnies. It was super.
12:34Hide them right there in the grass, huh?
12:36Oh, no. They'd be right there in that Easter basket,
12:38right in between those jelly beans and Easter eggs.
12:41And I sort of miss coloring those Easter eggs.
12:44I bet you do.
12:46Where are we heading, sir?
12:47Base operations. Got a long-distance phone call to make.
13:07All right, Lieutenant. We're ready on this end to record your statement.
13:10No sweat, sir. Fire away.
13:13Lieutenant, in your Twix, you stated that the Alaska Air Cargo Company
13:16flew over your station just prior to the sighting.
13:19Could you explain that more fully?
13:21Sure. You see, that's a regular flight.
13:23They pass over our station once a week.
13:27It was about 0200 hours.
13:29I was coming off duty, stepped outside for some air.
13:37I was just about to turn in.
13:39Lieutenant, there's something strange going on upstairs.
13:41Better take a look.
13:51It started a minute ago. We were tracking Flight 903.
13:54Suddenly, the second target popped onto the screen out of nowhere.
13:57It's been closing with the jet ever since.
13:59You got a height finder reading?
14:01Only on the cargo plane.
14:02What?
14:04We're painting the jet at 35,000.
14:06But the second object doesn't register.
14:08That's odd.
14:10Azimuth scope does read it, but weak.
14:12This is Alaska Air Cargo Company, Flight 903.
14:15White Pass, do you read?
14:17Roger, 903. White Pass here.
14:19We have you five square.
14:21White Pass, we have a UFO flying formation with us.
14:24Can you confirm that?
14:26Stand by, 903.
14:28Ashby. Yes, sir.
14:30Start the radar sequencing camera.
14:35Flight 903, this is Lieutenant Higbee, USAF.
14:38Who am I talking to?
14:40Jenkins, Alaska Air.
14:42Jenkins, we confirm the second object.
14:44What do you see out there?
14:46It's round. No, a disk.
14:48Very bright. Gold with something like diamonds all over it.
14:51It's off our nose at 11 o'clock.
14:53Can't shake it. It moves in fast on us and then flies away.
14:56Say again?
14:58I said we can't shake it. Wait a minute.
15:00Good Lord, it's gonna hit us.
15:02Come in.
15:04903, what is your status?
15:06903, come in.
15:10He's off the air.
15:17In a minute, the UFO was gone from our screen.
15:20Later, we regained contact with 903.
15:22They landed safely in Fairbanks.
15:24Lieutenant, can you send us a set of your sequencing camera photographs?
15:28Of course.
15:30We'll send dupe negatives to you on our next chopper resupply flight.
15:33You know, I've always laughed at flying saucer stories.
15:37Gentlemen, where do you see the photos?
16:01Okay.
16:03You passed the company check flight.
16:05Good. I'll have Perino file this.
16:08Thanks, Mac. You're welcome.
16:11Project Bluebird? Right.
16:13Captain Ben Ryan, Foreign Technology Division.
16:15Jim Jenkins. Sergeant Henry Fitz. How are you?
16:17Nice to meet you, Sergeant. Hey, you guys.
16:19You're here.
16:21Don, I want you to meet Captain Ryan.
16:23Hi. Sergeant Fitz. Sergeant Don Warren.
16:25How do you do? Good to meet you.
16:27We'd like to ask all of you gentlemen a few questions
16:29about Mr. Jenkins' UFO report.
16:31And I have about 100 questions for you.
16:33Why don't we go into the hangar office?
16:35Coming?
16:37Well, I'm still a bit overwhelmed by all this government manpower.
16:41Lieutenant Colonel Wirth?
16:43Please. I've been retired from the Air Force five years.
16:46Nobody calls me Colonel around here.
16:48If it's not convenient now,
16:50why don't we go to the hangar office?
16:54If it's not convenient now.
16:56I'm always willing to cooperate with the Air Force.
16:59But as a matter of fact, Captain, I am busy.
17:05That makes two of us.
17:07Paperwork. I'm sure you two guys know about that.
17:10Yes, sir. Perhaps this evening will be better.
17:13Well, that's a good idea.
17:15Why don't we meet at my place, say, 7 o'clock?
17:17That'll be fine.
17:19That's 1015 Caribou Lane, Sergeant.
17:23See you then.
17:26Well, I'll talk to you, gentlemen.
17:29Why don't we go on inside?
17:31See you later. See you then.
17:36Well, as you probably guessed,
17:38there are two schools of thought regarding this sighting.
17:40We gathered that from the FAA report.
17:42Well, let me give you my side of the story.
17:44Come on in, gentlemen.
17:47Well, it started out as a routine flight.
17:51We picked up a load of oil-pumping equipment
17:54in Great Falls, Montana.
17:57It was a five-hour flight ahead of us,
18:002,000 miles right straight across the middle of nowhere.
18:06It was a relatively clear night.
18:09A couple cloud decks well below us.
18:12Earlier in the day, we were in the middle of nowhere.
18:15Earlier in the evening,
18:17I remember seeing the moon and the stars now and again.
18:20We were in and out of Cirrus.
18:22There was a usual small talk just to pass the time.
18:26And then, just as we were crossing the Yukon border...
18:30Don?
18:32Yeah?
18:34Scope's painting traffic on northwest.
18:37Oh.
18:39Another plane out here?
18:42I make it 10 miles.
18:44Closing fast.
18:46Well, that puts it dead ahead.
18:48Don't see a thing.
18:50Well, we're in a double-inversion situation.
18:52Could simply be a phantom radar return.
18:55Yeah, well, what do you call that?
18:58See it?
19:10What is it?
19:12How the hell do I know?
19:26Thing is turning right with us.
19:28Tim, get on the radio.
19:30Call White Pass. You're in range.
19:34This is Alaska Air Cargo Flight 903.
19:38Calling White Pass. Do you read me?
19:41Roger, 903. White Pass here.
19:44We have you five square.
19:46White Pass, we have a UFO flying formation with us.
19:50Can you confirm?
19:52903, stand by.
19:54Stand by? Who's he kidding?
19:56Shut up and help me fly this bucket.
20:00I think it's staying right with us.
20:15One more pass and he can ram us.
20:29Come on.
20:35Die! Die!
20:38Shit!
20:58What do we do now?
21:00Don't ask me.
21:02We can't outfly it.
21:05Look.
21:18Mr. Jenkins, why were you the only one to file a report?
21:23I was the only one who wanted to hassle it, I guess.
21:26You see, when we got back into Fairbanks,
21:30we got into a bit of an argument.
21:32What are you so afraid of?
21:34It's a very simple problem.
21:36All you do is pick up the phone, call FAA, and they do the rest.
21:39Tim, look at the consequences.
21:41Okay, we tell the world we saw a UFO.
21:43Tomorrow morning, it'll be in the funny pages from Fairbanks to Anchorage.
21:47TV reporters will be chuckling about it in prime time.
21:51We wade through red tape and flying saucer nuts
21:55for the next month, the next year.
21:57Uncle Don, that's not...
21:59Forget it.
22:01I have.
22:05Don, he was flying planes before you were born.
22:09He knows what he's talking about.
22:12Think it over.
22:16Your uncle's attitude isn't that unusual.
22:18In some ways, it's very typical.
22:20Typical or not, it just kept bugging me.
22:23I mean, I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep.
22:27My wife was constantly upset.
22:31So, I finally turned in the report myself.
22:35At least you got the cockpit voice recorder to back you up.
22:40I'm afraid I don't.
22:43Why? Where is it?
22:45It's blank.
22:47Blank?
22:48There's not a sound on it.
22:52I guess it's my word against theirs, huh?
22:56Maybe not.
22:58I'm expecting radar photographs from White Pass radar station.
23:01They should tell us a great deal, one way or the other.
23:03Boy, I hope so.
23:05Here's our phone number at Isleson.
23:08You call us anytime you want to talk.
23:11All right.
23:13Thank you. I will.
23:15Captain, let me ask you a question.
23:21Have you ever seen a UFO?
23:24Once, a long time ago.
23:28I know.
23:30Did you ever find out what it was?
23:33No, never did.
23:37Great.
23:453 p.m., got it.
23:49Sorry for the interruption, gentlemen, but I got a business to run.
23:53Speaking of which, I'm still a little confused about the nature of yours.
23:57Well, it's Project Blue Book's responsibility to investigate unidentified flying objects wherever they're reported.
24:02Including Alaska?
24:03Correct.
24:04Tell me something.
24:06Do you guys really think Jenkins saw a flying saucer?
24:09Mr. Jenkins believes he saw something.
24:11It may or may not have been a so-called flying saucer.
24:13We simply don't know.
24:14What we do know is that the sighting involved NORAD's Mid-North American radar line.
24:19When you consider this area's proximity to Soviet airspace,
24:23you can understand the importance of a thorough investigation.
24:26Well, I guess Jenkins just got a bit carried away.
24:29Both Worth and McClain told me all they saw was a weather balloon.
24:33And with their experience, they ought to know.
24:37Let me put it this way.
24:39If it's between them and the kid, I got to believe them.
24:52Don, how are things?
24:54Well, things are...
24:57Well, you know, Carol.
24:59Hey, this is nice.
25:01We're always glad to have you.
25:04Being with you folks helps a lot.
25:07Have you heard from Michelle lately?
25:11A letter. Last week.
25:14Must be hard being alone after all these years.
25:19Sure is.
25:21What can you do?
25:23I'm working out.
25:24Look out!
25:26Doug!
25:27Feel like a game?
25:29Come on, come on. If I can do this, you can too.
25:32Well, you think I should?
25:33Go!
25:34I better go before I'm decapitated or something.
25:36All right.
25:37I guess we'll have to show you how it's done.
25:39All yours, pal.
25:40Thank you, Mac. All right, let's have it, Doug.
25:43Maybe you need glasses.
26:14Hello.
26:16Evening.
26:17Well, you're just in time.
26:19It's a shame you came all this distance for nothing.
26:21Are you the flying saucer guys?
26:23You might say that.
26:24Captain Ryan. Sergeant Fitz.
26:26May I present my wife, Carol.
26:28Carol.
26:29And my son, Doug.
26:30How do you do?
26:31I think we can talk right over here, if you might.
26:33Fine.
26:36Would you two care for some cold iced tea?
26:39Oh, it's been a long day. Thank you.
26:41Much obliged, ma'am.
26:42Well, I'll leave you to it.
26:46If the tape recorder bothers you, sir.
26:48No, no, it doesn't bother me.
26:50Mr. Worth, I can assure you these tapes are strictly for blue book use.
26:53I'm sure you're very conscientious, Captain.
26:56Well, you came to ask some questions about the other night.
27:00Please ask.
27:01As you know, we talked to Mr. Jenkins this afternoon.
27:04He gave us his description of the UFO sighting.
27:07We'd appreciate your version of the incident.
27:09Don, would you like the honors?
27:12All right.
27:14But there isn't really much to tell.
27:16We were on our weekly flight to the lower 48.
27:20Weather conditions were pretty fair.
27:22Visibility slightly impaired by Cirrus.
27:2450 knot quartering headwind.
27:33We'd been in the air about two and a half hours
27:35when Richard noticed a faint sound.
27:38When Richard noticed a faint target on the weather scope.
27:43Frankly, I was skeptical.
27:45I know we had a temperature inversion situation.
27:48We were in and out of layered Cirrus.
27:50You know how it is with those ice crystal formations.
27:53We looked for the target.
27:55At first, all I could see were stars overhead once in a while.
27:59When Tim spotted it.
28:01Look. What is it?
28:08I don't know.
28:10Whatever it is.
28:12It's hardly moving.
28:31Why don't we go back and get a closer look at it?
28:34Okay.
28:36Turn on the radio. Call NORAD.
28:38See if they're painting it.
28:41I have to admit we were all curious.
28:44I put the ship into a turn.
28:47As we moved toward it, we were excited.
28:50Especially Tim.
28:52By the time he made radio contact with White Pass,
28:54he was pretty worked up.
28:56I guess you'd have to say he exaggerated things
28:58because when we closed with the object,
29:01it became obvious what it was.
29:04Oh, what a phenomenon.
29:34We circled around the thing.
29:52I took a good look to be sure.
29:55Then we returned to our original heading.
30:01After we landed, I got into quite an argument with Tim.
30:04I guess we saw things differently.
30:06Much differently.
30:08According to his story, you were actually chased by an object
30:10that was maneuvering in a controlled manner.
30:14Gentlemen, I've had 35 years of flying experience,
30:1729 of them in the U.S. Air Force.
30:19I have yet to see a weather balloon maneuver
30:22in a controlled manner.
30:25Mr. McClain, do you agree with Mr. Wirth's version of the incident?
30:28Yes, I do.
30:30And neither one of us filed a UFO report.
30:33Look, Tim is a nice guy, but he's a little green.
30:37I can understand how he might sincerely believe
30:41that he saw, well, something.
30:45But believe me,
30:47what we saw was a garden-variety weather balloon.
30:51That's all.
30:53I see.
30:54What about the NORAD radar return?
30:56Any thoughts about that?
30:57Well, don't forget we had a severe double inversion,
30:59severe enough to distort NORAD's radar image of the balloon and our plane.
31:04It's quite possible.
31:06Captain, I think you're wasting your time on this one.
31:10Mr. Wirth, if I thought it were a waste of time,
31:13we wouldn't be here.
31:24Harry, are you thinking what I'm thinking?
31:26I sure think I am, sir.
31:28There weren't any weather balloons within 500 miles.
31:30Even if there had been.
31:32Observation time of a balloon practically motionless, give or take 50 knots.
31:35Why, they wouldn't have had that thing in sight for more than a second or two.
31:38That's all, sir?
31:39They were flying at Mach .75.
31:41That's about 800 feet per second.
31:43They'd have been lucky to even recognize a balloon at that speed.
31:46Maximum diameter of a balloon at that altitude is no more than 10 feet.
31:50Single white light for theodolite tracking.
31:52Then why would two experienced pilots concoct a story like that?
31:55Wouldn't they realize it wouldn't hold up?
31:57Why?
31:59You got me.
32:02Unless they had something to hide.
32:23All right, I'm coming.
32:28What?
32:30Tim, mind if I talk to you?
32:32No, no. Come on in. Sit down.
32:37I'm sorry to bother you at this hour.
32:40It's okay. Don't worry about it.
32:42What do you want to talk about?
32:43Well, I think you know.
32:50Yeah.
32:52Timothy,
32:54Richard and I both told those Air Force guys
32:58that what we saw was a weather balloon.
33:06A weather balloon?
33:08That was no balloon. You know that.
33:10Yes, I know it.
33:12I don't get it. Why the phony story?
33:15Why not the plain, simple truth?
33:17The hell with the truth.
33:20Uncle Don, you're scared.
33:23And it ain't because of the red tape.
33:25Now, what is it? What are you hiding?
33:27Don't ask.
33:29Please, just do me one favor.
33:31What? Change my story?
33:33Tell them I saw a weather balloon, too?
33:36Please.
33:41No.
33:45All right.
33:47Have you forgotten who got you your job?
33:55Don.
33:57Why?
33:59Why? It's simple.
34:01I can't see anymore. I'm half blind.
34:03My depth perception is shot.
34:05I mean, so what if I can't catch a ball?
34:08So what if I drop dimes into thin air?
34:11I know how to fly a plane.
34:14My safety record is perfect.
34:1615,000 hours in the air,
34:18and now some jerk air regulation says I gotta quit.
34:21Well, I'm not going to.
34:23Flying is all I know.
34:25It's the only thing I have.
34:27Timothy, you've got to help me.
34:29Those Blue Book guys are asking a lot of questions.
34:34They are bound to find out about me.
34:39So that's why the cockpit recording was blank.
34:43You erased it, didn't you?
34:45Because I had to.
34:47Uncle Don, why didn't you trust me?
34:49I mean, why didn't you come to me...
34:51I never dreamed it would get this far.
34:53Now the whole ball of wax is on the line.
34:56Timothy, I'm desperate.
34:58No!
35:01Uh, I mean...
35:06All right.
35:09Okay.
35:12I'll do what you want me to do.
35:15Thank you, Timothy.
35:42Mr. Jenkins.
35:45May we come in?
35:48Yeah, come on in.
35:50I was just trying to call you.
35:52Oh?
35:55Gentlemen, I've had a chance to think over my UFO report
36:00since the initial excitement.
36:03I'm sorry.
36:05I think I've created a lot of unnecessary problems.
36:08How so?
36:10Well, I guess I exaggerated a heck of a lot.
36:15Oh.
36:17Uh, you see...
36:20I haven't been flying for that long.
36:23And I guess I...
36:25Well, I guess I have a lot to learn.
36:29You seem to know what you're doing.
36:34I guess maybe I was just tired that night.
36:37Wanted to see something that wasn't really there.
36:40Whatever, I...
36:42What I did see was a weather balloon.
36:44I'm sure of that now.
36:46A balloon?
36:48Yes, sir. You see, I've had a chance to think it over and...
36:50On your own?
36:52Yes, captain. On my own.
36:54Without any assistance from anybody.
36:57Mr. Jenkins, we try to accept witnesses' statements at face value.
37:02However, there's one problem with your weather balloon story.
37:06What's that?
37:08There weren't any research weather balloons over the Yukon...
37:12Or British Columbia...
37:14Or the Alaskan panhandle at the time of your sighting.
37:17That was the first thing we checked out, sir.
37:20Well...
37:22You're mistaken.
37:24Might have been Japanese.
37:27Russian. I don't know.
37:29But I do know I saw a weather balloon.
37:32And that, gentlemen, is the bottom line.
37:35I'm afraid it's not the bottom line.
37:38We just got these radar photographs from White Pass about an hour ago.
37:42As you can see, two objects appear to be flying in formation...
37:46And neither target is a balloon.
37:56It just doesn't track.
37:58No, Harry, it doesn't.
38:00I got a mighty powerful feeling that Werther McLean had a little talk with Jenkins.
38:03It's beginning to look that way.
38:05Which brings us back to the $64 question.
38:08Well, let's get some answers.
38:10$64
38:31Now, I'm cleared with the FAA to release certain medical information to Blue Book.
38:35But in my capacity as the local aviation medical examiner...
38:39I must repeat once again...
38:41The information has to be kept strictly confidential.
38:44Dr. Jacobs, you can be assured we will protect a man's privacy.
38:47Okay.
38:49Now as to the annual FAA medical reports...
38:52Jenkins had a physical six months ago when he started with Perino.
38:56Passed with flying colors.
38:59McLean had his checked up eight months ago.
39:02Clean bill of health.
39:04And Mr. Werther, Doctor?
39:07Werther's in good shape.
39:09Slightly nearsighted, but well within the test requirements.
39:12No other problems?
39:14Well, his right ear is slightly less than 100%.
39:17His depth of perception is a bit off from last year.
39:20But that's not unusual for a man his age.
39:22Doctor, when was the last time Mr. Werther had an eye examination?
39:26That would be 11 months ago.
39:29He had no vision tests since then?
39:32No, it's not required.
39:34I'm sorry, nothing dramatic.
39:37Is that all I can do for you?
39:46McLean!
39:48May we talk to you for a minute?
39:50Sure, but you better make it fast.
39:52We're taking off for Seattle in a half hour.
39:54This won't take long.
40:05Well?
40:07We understand that you're Alaska Air Cargo's check pilot.
40:10Have been for years.
40:11Have you checked on Werther's flight proficiency lately?
40:13Yeah, earlier this week, as a matter of fact.
40:15What did you find, sir?
40:17He checked out fine.
40:22Don is a very good pilot.
40:25One of the best.
40:27Ask anyone.
40:29Yeah, we have.
40:35Well...
40:37You ready for a pre-flight check?
40:39As soon as the plane gets here.
40:41Timothy, thank you for this morning.
40:45Forget it.
40:47You saved a drowning man.
40:52No, Uncle Don, I have a feeling you're still in deep water.
40:55Good afternoon.
40:57Hi.
40:58Captain Ryan, this aircraft is the only one
41:01Hi.
41:02Captain Ryan, this aircraft is scheduled to depart in 30 minutes.
41:06Whatever you came to say, you'll have to wait.
41:08Mr. Jenkins, you filed a UFO report presumably because you wanted some honest answers.
41:12You wanted to understand what it was you encountered over the Yukon.
41:15You wanted us to get at the truth.
41:18Haven't you?
41:19That's for you to decide.
41:21We can't prove you did not see a weather balloon that night.
41:23If you want to maintain that you did, then we'll leave it at that.
41:26What we can prove is that this case involves a serious matter of air safety.
41:29Captain, if you've got an accusation to make, make it.
41:33Mr. Worth, it's our opinion that you're not qualified to pilot this aircraft.
41:38I don't have to take this garbage from you, too.
41:40What gives you the right to pry into civilian affairs?
41:44Absolutely nothing.
41:46Unless someone specifically requests it.
41:48Mr. Jenkins did request an investigation.
41:50Now, we can't turn that off just because we uncover something you don't like.
41:53What's that supposed to mean?
41:55I think you know.
41:57We can't force you to have your eyes examined. It's out of our jurisdiction.
42:00But I'd bet a month's pay you've got depth perception problems.
42:03Problems serious enough to jeopardize the lives of your entire crew.
42:07Well, you're entitled to your opinion.
42:27Mr. Worth, I'm truly sorry.
42:58Captain, you figure we ever really know what those folks saw that night?
43:01Not until they get their story straight, and I don't think that's about to happen.
43:04I know one thing.
43:06One of these days, Don Worth's going to drive his landing gear through the wings,
43:09or flare for a landing 200 feet too high.
43:11Being grounded after a lifetime of flying, it's going to be tough to live with.
43:16It comes with the territory.
43:18The question is, can Worth accept it?
43:21I don't think so.
43:23The question is, can Worth accept it?
43:27You know, all this...
43:30makes me wonder how I'll feel when it's my turn to quit.
43:33Will I ever do what Worth's doing?
43:37I believe this is government property.
43:45The least I could do after the ugly scene yesterday, I...
43:49Well, please accept my apology.
43:53It's acceptable.
43:55I'm sorry.
43:57I'm sorry.
43:59I'm sorry.
44:01I'm sorry.
44:03I'm sorry.
44:05It's accepted, Mr. Worth.
44:07Before you leave, I'd like to set the record straight.
44:11You two were both right about a lot of things.
44:14There was no weather balloon that night.
44:17I pressured Tim into changing his story.
44:21You see, I was desperate.
44:23Somehow I'd hoped that the inevitable could be postponed.
44:27It can't.
44:29Don, I think part of the blame...
44:31No. Tim, you did the right thing filing that report.
44:35And, Rich, I want to thank you for putting your neck out...
44:39to keep a washed-up pilot in the air.
44:41I'd do it again.
44:43And I thank you for that, Richard.
44:46But the truth...
44:49the truth will come out soon enough.
44:52I guess you can't fool aviation doctors forever.
44:56What really did happen that night?
44:58Just the way Tim told you.
45:00Down to the last detail.
45:03I'll never forget it.
45:05We may have some answers for you.
45:08Mr. Jenkins said he'd observed the moon earlier in the flight.
45:12Sergeant Fitz and I did some checking.
45:15We discovered that meteorological conditions were exactly right...
45:18for the formation of a Parasolene or Moondog.
45:21Isn't that some kind of mirage?
45:23Yes, sir, a mirage of the moon...
45:25formed by reflections on ice crystals.
45:28Such crystals were present in the cirrus clouds at 35,000 feet...
45:32your altitude at the time.
45:34Each cloud acted as a giant mirror...
45:37reflecting an image of the moon into your cockpit.
45:39When you turned, the mirage appeared to turn with you.
45:43The density of each layer of cirrus was different...
45:46so the apparent position of the object changed.
45:49When a cloud increased in size, the object appeared to move closer...
45:53but really stayed at the same distance from the aircraft...
45:56and in the same relative position.
45:58The illusion would have been especially convincing...
46:00because you all experienced autokinesis...
46:02quite common under these circumstances.
46:04The moon would have been just out of sight of the cockpit.
46:11Say we did see a Moondog.
46:14How do you explain the radar?
46:16Anomalous propagation. Freak radar return.
46:19It's true a NORAD station did paint two radar images...
46:22at the same time on their astroscope.
46:25However, the station observed only one object on its heighth finder.
46:29Your plane.
46:31Remember, you're flying in a temperature inversion situation.
46:34Even a flock of geese at a much lower altitude...
46:36could have been transformed into an electronic UFO.
46:39A NORAD tells us that subsequent photo studies...
46:42indicate the two targets were several miles apart...
46:44not several hundred feet.
46:46Wow. It all sounds very impressive.
46:49Makes sense.
46:52But I know what I saw, and I didn't see a mirage.
46:56Shot down by a flying saucer.
46:58What a way to end a career.
47:01I think maybe you were lucky.
47:04Yes, sir.
47:07Captain.
47:09Captain.
47:11Could you do me a favor?
47:13Sure.
47:15Let me have one of those photos.
47:17Souvenir?
47:19Yeah.
47:25You're welcome.
47:27Captain.
47:29Captain.
47:31Captain.
47:33Captain.
47:35Captain.
48:05Captain.
48:07Captain.
48:09Captain.
48:11Captain.
48:13Captain.
48:15Captain.
48:17Captain.
48:19Captain.
48:21Captain.
48:23Captain.
48:25Captain.
48:27Captain.