Plane Crashes and Incidents

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FAA Audio Reveals Mysterious Object Before Aircraft Suffers Double Instrument Failure! #atc

Apr 8, 2026

On 22 April 2022, Flexjet flight LXJ359 departed from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and was en route to Huntsville International Airport (HSV). While cruising at FL450, approximately 3 miles southwest of ESL near Kessel, West Virginia, the crew reported spotting an extremely bright unidentified object at FL550, around 10,000 feet above their aircraft. The sighting quickly drew attention because the object appeared unusually bright and at a very high altitude.

According to the FAA occurrence report, the bright object soon transformed into a string or line of lights. As LXJ359 passed underneath it, the lights suddenly went dark, yet the pilots reported they could still make out a visible silhouette in the sky. During this exact moment, the aircraft experienced a double Attitude Reference System failure along with a double autopilot failure, making the event even more mysterious and highly unusual from an aviation standpoint.

The sighting was not limited to one aircraft. Several other flights, including SWA368, SWA1393, and UAL46, also reported seeing the same object in the area. The event quickly became a topic of discussion among pilots on the Guard frequency (121.5 MHz), suggesting that multiple crews were actively observing it at the same time. Later, FAA documents and ATC recordings obtained by The Black Vault confirmed that the report was officially logged, making it one of the more widely discussed aviation UFO incidents of 2022.

Miracle in the sky as a B-52 crew out of Minot Air Force base helps the lost pilot over Alaska, with no instrument rating, and was only dependent on VOR navigation in 2013.

Apr 9, 2026
A B-52 crew from Minot Air Force Base embarked on a routine training mission, but what happened next turned their flight into a life-saving mission. Midway through their 14-hour endurance flight, the crew—call sign HAIL 14—received a distress call from Anchorage Air Traffic Control. A Cessna 172pilot was lost in the vast, mountainous terrain of northern Alaska, surrounded by thick overcast with no clear path to safety.

Without hesitation, the crew sprang into action. Using their extensive training and quick thinking, they coordinated with Minot’s HAIL 13 to establish contact with the struggling pilot. Despite flying thousands of feet above, with no visual confirmation, the B-52 crew used advanced navigation techniques, real-time coordination, and even newly issued iPads to assist the lost aircraft in finding its way.

The pilot, who was not instrument-rated, was relying on VOR navigation, a skill the B-52 team expertly guided him through. As visibility worsened and radar signals faded into ground clutter, HAIL 13 worked to brighten the airfield lights at Calhoun Memorial Airport in Tanana, Alaska—offering the lost pilot a beacon of hope.

This was more than just a successful rescue—it was a testament to the skill, training, and dedication of the U.S. Air Force aviators. As Capt. Justin George put it, "It was pretty cool to actually help somebody out."

The lost Cessna, later identified as being registered to the Catholic Bishop of Northern Alaska, was safely guided to the runway, ensuring that this emergency did not end in tragedy, as so many similar situations have.

This extraordinary act of heroism highlights the selfless service of the men and women of the Air Force, always ready to step in when lives are at stake. Watch the full story unfold in this incredible real-life rescue mission.