FBI-UAP-D024, FD-302, “Airborne Lights and Triangle,” 2002, 2023-2024
This file is an FBI FD-302 form — the Bureau's standard record of an interview — capturing statements from a former U.S. military pilot interviewed in March/April 2024. The interviewee recounts that beginning in October 2023, numerous pilots reported seeing white lights in the night sky, typically between midnight and 3 AM. His first observation was in October 2023 while flying from Boston to Dublin, seeing lights toward Gander, Canada, at an estimated altitude of 50,000+ feet. He described the lights as dimming and brightening in cycles of 10 seconds to one minute, resembling landing lights but not attributable to Starlink, satellites, or meteors. Over roughly ten subsequent sightings he observed the lights toward North Dakota, off the west coast, and the mid-Atlantic. On a February 2024 flight, about 150 miles northwest of Minneapolis, he captured video on a Samsung Galaxy S22 of white lights moving in straight lines and changing brightness near the North Dakota region around 4:36 AM EST. He never felt unsafe and believed the lights were more than 100 miles away. The interviewee also recalled a June 2002 incident in Afghanistan: while deployed as a reservist, he and another pilot observed a large, silent, equilateral-triangle-shaped object, estimated at 500 feet, pass overhead from west to east over Bagram at about 4:30 AM local, blotting out the stars with no visible lights. A companion FBI digital rendering is filed as FBI-UAP-D025. The source page notes the document contains redactions.
Description
An FBI FD-302 interview record (with redactions) documenting a March 2024 interview with a former U.S. military pilot describing repeated sightings of unexplained airborne lights over the northeastern U.S. and mid-continent in 2023–2024, plus a 2002 triangle-shaped object sighting over Bagram, Afghanistan. Released by the U.S. Department of War as part of a UAP records disclosure.
Claims
In June 2002 over Bagram, Afghanistan, the interviewee and another pilot observed a silent, unlit, equilateral-triangle-shaped object estimated at 500 feet passing overhead from west to east.
60%On a February 2024 flight the interviewee captured video of the lights on a Samsung Galaxy S22 near the North Dakota region around 4:36 AM EST.
60%Starting in October 2023, many pilots reported seeing white lights in the sky, typically between midnight and 3 AM.
60%The interviewee captured video of the lights on his phone during a February 2024 flight near the North Dakota region.
60%Starting October 2023, many pilots observed recurring white lights in the night sky, typically between midnight and 3 AM.
55%The interviewee observed white lights cycling from dim to bright over 10 seconds to one minute, at estimated altitudes above 50,000 feet, not attributable to Starlink, satellites, or meteors.
55%The lights appeared higher than the aircraft (estimated 50,000 feet or higher), brightened then faded over 10 seconds to one minute, and sometimes moved in straight lines and changed direction.
50%The interviewee ruled out Starlink, satellites, meteors, and aircraft landing lights as explanations.
50%
Events
Feb 29, 2024
FBI interview (FD-302)
FBI agents interviewed the former pilot and recorded his statements on this FD-302 form.
May 31, 2002
Bagram triangle sighting
While deployed as a reservist in Afghanistan, interviewee and another pilot observed a silent equilateral-triangle object, ~500 feet, passing over Bagram from west to east around 4:30 AM local.
Sep 30, 2023
First observation of airborne lights
Interviewee first saw white lights while flying Boston to Dublin, toward Gander, Canada, at estimated 50,000+ feet.
Jan 31, 2024
Cockpit video capture of lights
Video filmed on a Samsung Galaxy S22 about 150 miles NW of Minneapolis around 4:36 AM EST near the North Dakota region.
Aug 6, 2026
Public release by Department of War
Document released as part of UAP records disclosure (release 5).
Sep 30, 2023
First airborne lights sighting
Interviewee first observed white lights while flying Boston to Dublin, seeing them toward Gander, Canada, at estimated 50,000+ feet.
Jan 31, 2024
February 2024 video-recorded sighting
Interviewee captured video of white lights on a Samsung Galaxy S22 about 150 miles NW of Minneapolis, toward the North Dakota region, around 4:36 AM EST.
Aug 6, 2026
Document release
Released by the U.S. Department of War as part of a UAP records disclosure.
Dates mentioned
Keywords
Entities
Extracted text (OCR)
- - 1 of 3 - FD-302 (Rev. 5-8-10) FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Date of entry - 04 . /2024 in . Agent , was intervi ewe , s · was referred to the FBI by ~ After being advised of the identity of the interviewing Agents and the nature of the interview, provided the following information : stated that starting in October 2023, a l ot of pilots have been seeing the same event occurring, namely seeing lights in the sky. Pilots have been discussing the events over Pi l ots typical l y saw them between midnight and 3 AM. did not know i f the events occurred at that time because that was when it was dark enough or i f it was because that was when the l i ghts were present. first observation of the lights occurred in October 2023. was flying from Boston, MA to Dublin, Ireland where he saw the l ights in the northeast towards Gander, Canada. was at an elevation of 37,000 feet and believed the lights were h i gher than him, probably at 50,000 feet or higher . The lights were white in color, would start out as dim, and get br i ghter before they eventua l ly faded out . The fu l l cycle of the lights would range from 10 seconds to one minute. The l ights looked like airp l ane landing lights, but knew that it was not them, nor did he think it was Investigation on - by This document contains neither recommendatiollll nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency. FD-302a (Rev. 5-8-10) ContinuationofFD-302of ■ - Interview of _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ,On 03 . /2024 ,Page 2 of 3 Starlink, Starlink flares, satell i tes, or meteors. I t ranged between one to four lights at a time in the sky . Some lights did not move , while others moved in straight lines, somet i mes changing d irection, and typically did not move in a coordinated fashion. Since spotting the lights the first time, has seen them approximately ten times . At times the lights would disappear for mi nutes before returning. has seen the lights for 45 minutes up to two hours . has seen the lights in all directions except for towards the south. saw the lights three times in the direction of North Dakota while flying to either Seattle or Phoenix. He has also seen them off the west coast and mid-Atlantic coast. d i d not know how far away they were but ventured the y were between 200-500 miles away. never saw the lights below the horizon a nd had not heard about them prior to October 2023 . During a trip on February _ , 2024, was able to capture video on his Samsung Galaxy S22 phone an event involving white lights. stated the lights were brighter in-person than on the camera, and the lights were similar in elevation to him or were slightly higher . The video is filmed from the cockpit of his aircraft with the lights turned off . was located approximately 150 miles northwest of Minneapoli s, Minnesota and was flying towards the east. The lights were seen towards the north in the North Dakota region at around 4:36 AM Eastern Standard Time on a clear ni ght . - As captured on the video, white lights were seen , sometimes ten or more present at once, moving around in straight lines a nd getting bri ghter/dimmer. At the 3:27 mark i n the v ideo, was not sure if two of the lights were really close together or if it was a single light with a tail. At the 3 : 47 mark, did not know if it was three separate lights . At the 5 :22 mark you can see the flight panel, showing that the airplane was traveling at approximately .80 Mach, and that the airplane was 40 - 50 miles northeast of Sioux Fal l s and coul d see the KFSD airport on the radar. never felt unsafe from the white lights, and did not believe the lights were within 100 miles of him . witnessed occurred back i n June 2002. While A thi rd event that as a reservist , got activated to go to Afghanistan. One - FD-302a (Rev. 5-8-10) ContinuationofFD-302of ■ - Inter view of _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ,On 03 . /2024 ,Page 3 of 3 night he was outside looking at the stars with another pilot. At approx imately 4:30 AM local time, noticed that the stars were getting blacked out over Bagram . It appeared as if something huge went overhead, from west to east, and was an equilateral triangle shape. The object was moving silently, at a consistent speed and altitude , possibly 150 knots , with no lights visible. estimated it was 500 feet in size, but he could not fully see the shape of the object. The other pilot with also observed the triangle, and when it passed over stated, "did you see that?" stated he did not further discuss the sighting with anyone else nor did he hear anyone else discussing the sighting . Looking through the data, never found information that could explain what he saw in Afghan istan in not aware of anything that would explain what he had seen. Overall, believed that not a lot of discussions were happening openly about the events with the lights . did not think there was as much st i gma surrounding these events, but people were just not used to talking about it. -
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