Any thoughts on what the crew saw? Some kind of rocket? Lasers? Something else?
Relevant CADORS reports are:
2023C0560: https://tinyurl.com/3vjtkhy9
2023C0492: https://tinyurl.com/yc7upe58A Canadian North Aerospatiale/Aeritalia ATR 42-500 (AKT5071) from Fort McMurray, AB (CYMM) to Yellowknife, NT (CYZF) reported 2 lights 10NM Northwest (NW) of the field. The Edmonton (EG) controller (CTR) and the shift manager (SM) were advised and a Communication Instructions for Reporting Vital Intelligence Sightings (CIRVIS) report was filed.
Curious to hear what the AVCanada community thinks!A Canadian North Aerospatiale ATR 42-500 (AKT5071) from Fort McMurray, AB (CYMM) to Yellowknife, NT (CYZF) on approach for Runway 34 at F240 reported 2 white lights approximately at 3000ft above them and 10NM northwest (NW) of the airport, moving in a circular pattern. The pilots advised that the lights were still visible as they continued their approach all the way to the ground. There was no known traffic in the area.
And here's a transcript....
Canadian North flight: Tower, it's Arctic 5071.
Air traffic control (ATC): Arctic 5071, Yellowknife radio. Good evening.
Flight: Good evening. Just wondering, do you got two planes that are just to the east of your field doing circuits or manoeuvres?
ATC: Negative, I have no reported traffic in the area. Do you have a visual on something?
Flight: Yeah, we're looking at two lights dancing around here, to the east of your field. They're above us, about, I don't know what. We're not seeing them on TCAS. But we can see the lights moving around.
ATC: I don't have anything on the radar either. Let me talk to center.
* * *
ATC: Arctic 5071, Yellowknife radio.
Flight: [Inaudible] go ahead.
ATC: Hey, center doesn’t have anything about any movement in the area, so I'm really wondering what you're seeing there.
Flight: Yeah, so are we.
ATC: Have you said they're over your position?
Flight: Oh, they're above us. We're in a [inaudible] 12,000 feet. We're [inaudible] 30 miles back from your field over the lake. And, yeah. We're seeing them just to the east of the city, [inaudible] by maybe 20, 30 miles. But they're well above us. We saw them when we were going through 20,000 feet, they looked somewhat parallel for altitude.
ATC: All right, I'm trying to look. I don't see them from the ground here. Well, I'll keep an eye out. I'll talk with center again.
Flight: Yeah, no worries [inaudible]. They're not a risk to us, we just [inaudible] just to know what it was, if you guys had a ping on the radar.
ATC: No, we got nothing. That's quite strange. Do you guys want an [inaudible] advisory?
Flight: Yeah, sure. Might as well. We're [inaudible] visual [inaudible] runway 34, direct [inaudible] at this time.
ATC: Rodger, runway 34. Wind, 290 at nine altimeter 3022. Hey this is Victor report five miles final. And let me know if there's any movement with those planes, or if they get closer or anything. I'll try to figure what's going on.
Flight: Yeah, so far they're just lights that come in and out, but there's two of them that are moving around in a circular pattern.
* * *
Flight: [Inaudible] Arctic 5071 is on a 10-mile final runway 34. We still have that traffic in sight. It's looking about 10 nautical miles directly northwest of the fields. Maybe about flight level 270 or so.
ATC: So, you're saying they're about 10 nautical miles northeast or northwest?
ATC: Northwest of the field. Yeah, 10, 20 miles-ish.
Flight: Well, I'll let you [inaudible]. We'll talk on the ground.
ATC: Sounds good. Arctic 5071.
* * *
Flight: [Inaudible] Arctic 5071 is taxiing alpha bravo to first air.
ATC: Arctic 5071, roger, [inaudible] and I have a few questions for you when you have time.
Flight: Yeah, go ahead. We actually just had visual of it while we went down 34 here.
ATC: Roger, so you reported two lights, two lights in circular patter 10 nautical miles northwest of the field. I think we first spoke around 0615 Zulu. And what flight level were you saying?
Flight: We were at 240, and it was above us. So, we're guessing about 270?
ATC: Have you said that you just you saw you had a visual on them still while landing?
Flight: Yup, we had a visual as we were, we went down 34.
ATC: Okay, so I just reported it to center. They will look into it. I'll file a CIRVIS report – this is when we have some sightings that we cannot explain. But I don't know if you guys have something you can do the same on your side, but we'll, for sure we'll look into it.
Flight: All right, thanks, yeah. If you keep your eyes peeled out there to the northwest you might be able to.
ATC: Yeah, I'm trying to look but I don't see the light. Can you see? Can you still see them from the ground? Let me know when you're in the right direction.
* * *
ATC: Traffic Yellowknife radio, do you have a visual on anything on the right at the northwest of you?
Flight: Traffic [inaudible] no, I don't see anything here.
Flight: It just disappeared.
ATC: Roger, okay. Well keep an eye out and if there's anything new just give us a call, or catch me on the radio. I'll be here for the whole night.
Flight: Okay, sounds good. Thanks. We’re headed home for the night, but if we see it again here in the next few minutes we'll let you know.
ATC: Roger, thanks a lot and have a good one.
* * *
ATC: 7844 [inaudible] Edmonton centre, good evening [inaudible] identified.
* * *
ATC: Arctic 5071, Yellowknife [inaudible]. Are you still there?
Flight: [Inaudible] Arctic 5071.
ATC: Do you know what colour were the lights?
Flight: [Inaudible] white.
ATC: Roger, thanks.
Flight: We're not crazy.
ATC: No, we believe you.
Flight: Yeah, it's kind of hit and miss coming out of that northwest, off of kind of runway 16. And it kind of comes and goes. So, it looks like it's kind of circling, and then it kind of disappears again.
ATC: We're trying to look at this. Thanks a lot, guys. Have a good one.
Flight: Thank you for everything.
