Cruising at altitude over the New Mexico desert, an unsuspecting airline pilot was about to have a close encounter that would send shockwaves through the UFO community.
What started as a routine flight would lead to the FBI's involvement and greater calls for transparency in the US Government's investigations into alien life.
Now exactly one year on, the Daily Star has painstakingly pieced together the remarkable chain of events that led to one of the most significant UFO sightings of 2021.
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The drama unfolded as the American Airlines pilot reported "a long, cylindrical object" buzzing his aircraft's cockpit.
His bosses and the FBI confirmed reports that flight AA 2292, which was travelling between Cincinnati and Phoenix on February 21, 2021 had a near-miss with an unidentified flying object shortly before twenty past one, local time.
The pilot contacted Albuquerque air traffic control to request information on the bizarre sighting and was heard asking if they had "targets" up in the air.
In an audio clip of the radio transmission, he added: "We just had something just go 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."
While American Airlines initially played down the report, a company spokesperson confirmed the incident in a statement that said: "Following a debrief with our Flight Crew and additional information received we can confirm this radio transmission was from American Airlines Flight 2292 on Feb. 21.”
The Federal Aviation Administration added in their statement that air traffic controllers "did not see any object in the area on their radarscopes."
But the sighting quickly became of the most significant UFO sightings of 2021 as it was one of several triggers that saw experts push for more transparency from the US government about investigations into alien life.
In a Daily Star exclusive in September last year, anonymous pilots had come forward claiming that they could lose their jobs for reporting sightings - despite many being seen before.
One pilot said airline bosses are so hostile to ET claims that a colleague was told to get counselling after reporting a UFO.
Another told the Daily Star Sunday : "When someone says UFO everyone thinks they are referring to aliens but that is not always the case, especially with the surge in drone activity.
"Most pilots will use phrases like unidentified traffic or aerial phenomena. No one wants to say UFO. If you say UFO people think you are either drunk, on drugs or nuts."
Another pilot added: "Many airline pilots, self-included, and military pilots have had encounters at altitude with UFOs over many decades and before the internet.
"Encounters are reported internally and amongst colleagues and seldom reach the media. When you are fortunate to be a close witness, it is really quite serious stuff. There are advantages in having an office window at 37,000ft."
