27. America West Flight 564
In 1996, while flying at 39,000feet near Bovina, Texas, America West Flight 564’s pilots and crew witnessed a row of flashing lights flying adjacent to them, prompting them to contact the Albuquerque FAA Air Route Traffic Control Center. Air Traffic Control denied any other aircraft, military or civilian, were in the vicinity at the time. A few minutes later, First Officer John J. Waller got a better view of the craft, describing it as cigar-shaped, following a flash of lightning from a storm-cloud behind it.
The following day, NORAD confirmed tracking an unidentified target which was at first stationary, but then sped up between 1,000 and 1,400 mph before stopping again. No explanation has been given for the incident.
