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STATE-001 · 1994-09-14

PanAm Corkscrew Encounter — Tajikistan

State DeptTajikistan AirspaceUnknown41,000 ftSeveral minutes
INCIDENT SUMMARY

Commercial PanAm aircraft at 41,000 ft encountered an object performing circles, corkscrews and 90-degree turns at rapid rates. State Department diplomatic cable filed. No military explanation found.

DECLASSIFIED DETAILS

A State Department diplomatic cable, included in the PURSUE release, documents an incident reported by the crew of a PanAm commercial flight transiting Tajikistan airspace at 41,000 feet. The crew observed an unidentified object performing 'circles, corkscrews and 90-degree turns at rapid rates' over a sustained period. The maneuvers described are aerodynamically impossible for any known conventional aircraft at that altitude. The object appeared metallic and showed no visible propulsion system. The cable was filed through the Dushanbe embassy and classified SECRET. No military craft or known atmospheric phenomenon explains the documented maneuvers. The case was cross-referenced with Soviet/Russian air defense radar records with no correlation found.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS
  • 41,000 ft altitude (commercial airspace)
  • Corkscrew and 90° turn maneuvers
  • Circles at rapid rates
  • Metallic appearance, no visible propulsion
  • No radar correlation with any military aircraft
ORIGINAL SOURCE

This incident is documented in file STATE-001 released under the PURSUE Initiative on May 8, 2026. The original document, with any remaining redactions, is publicly available at the U.S. Department of War's official UAP portal.

VIEW ORIGINAL DOCUMENT AT WAR.GOV →
INCIDENT DATA
FILE IDSTATE-001
DATE1994-09-14
YEAR1994
AGENCYState Dept
LOCATIONTajikistan Airspace
REGIONAsia
SHAPEUnknown
ALTITUDE41,000 ft
DURATIONSeveral minutes
WITNESSESCommercial PanAm flight crew
OBSERVED BEHAVIORS
Corkscrew Motion
90° Turns
Rapid Acceleration
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