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2021 · northeastern New Mexico, near J-134 about 50 nm east of the Cimarron (CIM) VORTAC

American Airlines 2292 "Cylindrical Object"

On the record
Strength B · 7/10 · 3 independent
Evidence 3/4 · Witnesses 2/3 · Backing 2/3

Official FAA, USAF and FBI records confirm the airline pilot's report was real and taken seriously, though the pilot is unnamed and no radar target has been shown.

Plausibility High
Score 13 · 8 factors for, 0 against

An airline pilot's live radio report of a cylinder passing overhead is confirmed by American Airlines, the FAA, USAF and FBI records; the pilot is unnamed.

See the factors ↓

Unresolved
Frame at 0:08 of: FAA radar replay, Albuquerque Center (21 Feb 2021) · Federal Aviation Administration, FOIA 2021-002114 (via The Black Vault)
When21 February 2021, about 11:50 MST (18:50Z)
Wherenortheastern New Mexico, near J-134 about 50 nm east of the Cimarron (CIM) VORTAC
Backing3 independent
Evidencedocuments

In their own words

“We just had something go right over the top of us – I hate to say this but it looked like a long cylindrical object that almost looked like a cruise missile type of thing, moving really fast right over the top of us.”
Unnamed AA2292 pilot, radio call to Albuquerque Center, 21 Feb 2021 · source

American Airlines Flight 2292 was an Airbus A320 flying Cincinnati to Phoenix at FL360 and about 400 knots. Its crew called Albuquerque Center (ZAB) to ask whether there were "any targets up here". They then said: "We just had something go right over the top of us – I hate to say this but it looked like a long cylindrical object that almost looked like a cruise missile type of thing, moving really fast right over the top of us." Radio monitor Steve Douglass recorded the call, and The War Zone (Tyler Rogoway) broke the story on 23 Feb 2021. American Airlines confirmed the transmission came from AA2292 and referred questions to the FBI. The FAA said its controllers saw nothing on radar. FOIA releases since then show the following: - The USAF asked the FAA for a radar playback of 18:40–19:00Z. - The FBI Albuquerque office opened a pre-assessment, called local sheriffs, and closed it on 2 March 2021 as outside FBI jurisdiction. - In December 2024 the FAA released ATC audio and radar replay video. Part of the Phoenix tower audio was withheld under Exemption 3 because it concerned military aircraft. No identification has ever been announced.

Evidence, in date order (3)

  1. 24 Feb 2021American Airlinesdocument
    confirmed the radio call came from Flight 2292 and referred questions to the FBI Tyler Rogoway, "American Airlines Confirms Encounter With Unidentified Cylindrical Object Over New Mexico", The War Zone, 24 Feb 2021
  2. 1 Mar 2021USAF and FAA (Col. Cornett, Lt Col Godzik)document
    FAA emails log the report and a USAF request for a radar playback of the encounter window FAA FOIA 2021-002114 release (emails, letter)
  3. 2 Mar 2021FBI Albuquerquedocument
    opened a pre-assessment and checked with local sheriffs before closing it for lack of jurisdiction FBI FOIPA 1490770-000 (Puckett)

How plausible · High

An airline pilot's live radio report of a cylinder passing overhead is confirmed by American Airlines, the FAA, USAF and FBI records; the pilot is unnamed.

  • ●●
    Access From the cockpit.
  • ●●
    No gain sought A live radio call.
  • ●●
    Restraint "Almost looked like a cruise missile."
  • ●●
    Checkable details check out FAA, USAF and FBI records.
  • ●●
    Fits the documented skeleton White Sands ruled out a missile test.
  • ●○
    Character record Airline pilot, unnamed.

Plausibility weighs how well an account fits where secrecy hides the documents by design, so missing records never count against it. Strength measures what is documented. Assessed 2026-10-23.

On the record

  • Pilot transmission (Douglass recording, as transcribed by TWZ): "Do you have any targets up here? … We just had something go right over the top of us – I hate to say this but it looked like a long cylindrical object that almost looked like a cruise missile type of thing, moving really fast right over the top of us." The FAA's own ZAB audio has now been released, but I have not compared it with this transcription.
  • American Airlines (to TWZ, 24 Feb 2021): "we can confirm this radio transmission was from American Airlines Flight 2292 on Feb. 21 … For any additional questions on this, we encourage you to reach out to the FBI." AA's first reply had been that it had no indication the transmission came from the flight crew.
  • FAA statement (TWZ, 24 Feb 2021): "A pilot reported seeing an object over New Mexico shortly after noon local time on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021. FAA air traffic controllers did not see any object in the area on their radarscopes."
  • FAA emails (FOIA 2021-002114): Col. Cornett: AA 2292 "reported a missile or UFO in close proximity while over NE New Mexico. WSMR PA has already released a statement that they were not testing on Sunday (and the aircraft was 400 mi north of WSMR)." Her task line reads "TASK: Please help Kirk Baldin with Air Carrier Safety Assurance plug into the process for investigating such incidents." Lt Col Godzik, 1 Mar 2021: "The USAF is requesting a playback … Date: 21 Feb 2021 Time: 1850Z / 1150MST – Playback from 1840-1900Z Location: 36.58N 103.88W; about 50nm East of CIM VORTAC on/near J-134 … Altitude block: FL320-FL600." The FAA letter says further responsive records are "the property of the Department of Defense". Their release status is unknown.
  • FBI (Puckett release): The pre-assessment was created on 24 Feb 2021. The FAA Albuquerque office was "checking their systems to determine if their equipment picked up any other aircraft". The FBI tried to contact AA corporate security. On 25 Feb 2021 it contacted the Las Animas, Union and Colfax County sheriffs, and none had reports of "objects descending from the sky, or objects that had crashed". Disposition, 2 Mar 2021: "After consultation with FBI AQ Chief Division Counsel, it was concluded the FBI does not have federal jurisdiction to investigate this matter … Does not fall within the FBI's jurisdiction." It was closed "as Information Only". The FBI note copies the TWZ text but says "northwest corner of New Mexico". The aircraft was in the northeast corner (36.58N 103.88W).
  • Time discrepancy: the FAA appeal letter describes the request window as "19:15 to 19:45 GMT", while the USAF playback request centres on 18:50Z. The released audio files span 20:04–20:56Z, which may be later legs of the flight. This is not resolved here.

Claims

A long cylindrical object, "almost looked like a cruise missile", passed very fast directly over the A320 (chain: pilot → ZAB radio → Douglass's recording → TWZ. Confirmed authentic by American Airlines. The pilots have never spoken publicly, and their silence carries no weight either way)firsthandSourced, unconfirmedan unnamed AA2292 pilot. Which crew member spoke is not established
The FBI was investigating (secondhand/inference)secondhandSourced, unconfirmedTWZ, from AA's referral to the FBI. The FBI record shows only a short pre-assessment closed for lack of jurisdiction.

Where

northeastern New Mexico, near J-134 about 50 nm east of the Cimarron (CIM) VORTAC
36.5°N 103.9°W
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