FBI Investigating After Alarmed Pilot Tells LAX Tower: 'We Just Passed a Guy in a Jet Pack'

Sept. 2, 2020
The FBI has launched an investigation after an American Airlines pilot said he saw what appeared to be a man flying with a jet pack Sunday night near Los Angeles International Airport.

The FBI has launched an investigation after an American Airlines pilot said he saw what appeared to be a man flying with a jet pack Sunday night near Los Angeles International Airport. 

"Tower, American 1997. We just passed a guy in a jet pack," the first American Airlines pilot states as he puts a call in to the control tower.

"American 1997, OK, thank you. Were they off to your left or right side?" the tower operator answers.

"Off the left side, maybe 300 yards or so, about our altitude," the pilot responds.

"We just saw the guy pass us by in the jet pack," a second pilot from Jet Blue Airways then tells the tower, which warned another pilot about the sighting.

FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said Tuesday that agents at LAX were investigating after the pilot reported the incident to the control tower.

"The FBi is aware of the reports by pilots on Sunday and is working to determine what occurred," the agency said in a statement.

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