Within Pilot Reports
What Did Airline Crews See in 2024?
Two commercial crews reported changing triangle-like lights over southern Saskatchewan, but the public record stops short of an explanation.
On this page
- The Flair and Air Canada reports
- What CADORS confirms and leaves out
- Possible explanations and unresolved gaps
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Introduction
In the early hours of 19 January 2024, commercial airline crews flying over southern Saskatchewan reported an unusual display of lights that became one of the most discussed recent aviation-related UFO cases in Canada. According to Canada’s Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System (CADORS), crews from both a Flair Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 and an Air Canada Airbus A320 observed multiple bright lights that at times appeared to form a triangle. Canadian air-defence authorities were notified, yet no public explanation was released through the reporting system. The incident stands out because it involved trained flight crews, multiple aircraft, and an official aviation reporting trail rather than a single eyewitness account. At the same time, the available evidence remains limited, leaving the case unresolved rather than confirmed as anything extraordinary. [discoverweyburn.com]discoverweyburn.compilots report bizarre lights when flying over southeast saskatchewanPilots report bizarre lights when flying over southeast…13 Feb 2024 — On January 19th, there were reports of lights from pilots who we…
What Did Airline Crews See in 2024?
The incident occurred at approximately 1040 UTC (around 4:40 a.m. local time) on 19 January 2024 while aircraft were operating over southern Saskatchewan. The CADORS entry records that a Flair Airlines flight crew reported seeing several lights that sometimes arranged themselves into a triangular pattern. An Air Canada crew in the same general region subsequently reported observing the same lights. Canadian Air Defence was informed of the sighting. [discoverweyburn.com]discoverweyburn.compilots report bizarre lights when flying over southeast saskatchewanPilots report bizarre lights when flying over southeast…13 Feb 2024 — On January 19th, there were reports of lights from pilots who we…
Public attention increased after air traffic control recordings became widely reported. The audio suggested that more than one aircraft crew was discussing unusual lights visible above the Prairies. Pilots described bright objects, changing formations, and patterns that did not immediately match anything they recognised. In some accounts, the lights appeared stationary before shifting position relative to one another. [iHeart]news.iheart.comThe strangeness started when a pilot…Read more…
What makes the Saskatchewan case noteworthy within Prairie aviation reports is not a claim that the objects were unknown craft, but the fact that separate crews reported apparently similar observations during the same time window. Multiple independent observations generally attract greater attention from investigators than a lone report because they reduce the chance of a simple individual misperception. Even so, multiple witnesses do not automatically establish what was seen. [discoverweyburn.com]discoverweyburn.compilots report bizarre lights when flying over southeast saskatchewanPilots report bizarre lights when flying over southeast…13 Feb 2024 — On January 19th, there were reports of lights from pilots who we…
The Flair and Air Canada Reports
The publicly available CADORS record identifies the two aircraft types involved: a Flair Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 and an Air Canada Airbus A320. The reported location was over southern Saskatchewan, within the Prairie and Northern Region covered by Transport Canada reporting systems. [discoverweyburn.com]discoverweyburn.compilots report bizarre lights when flying over southeast saskatchewanPilots report bizarre lights when flying over southeast…13 Feb 2024 — On January 19th, there were reports of lights from pilots who we…
The wording preserved in the occurrence report is significant. Rather than describing a solid triangular object, it refers to “multiple lights” that were “sometimes in a triangle formation.” That distinction matters. Aviation observers often report light configurations rather than clearly defined physical objects, particularly during night operations where distance and scale are difficult to judge. The CADORS wording therefore documents what the crews observed visually without claiming that a triangular craft was present. [discoverweyburn.com]discoverweyburn.compilots report bizarre lights when flying over southeast saskatchewanPilots report bizarre lights when flying over southeast…13 Feb 2024 — On January 19th, there were reports of lights from pilots who we…
Reports circulating after the event suggested that several flights may have observed unusual lights during the broader period covered by the air traffic control recordings. However, the publicly accessible official documentation remains relatively brief and does not provide radar data, photographs, cockpit video, altitude estimates for the lights, or a final determination. [Facebook]facebook.comat least four flights reported multiple lights sometimes in a triangle formationAt least four flights reported 'multiple lights sometimes in a…On January 19th, 2024, at 1040 Z, a Flair Airlines Boeing 737 a…
What CADORS Confirms and Leaves Out
One reason this case has generated continuing discussion is the contrast between what CADORS confirms and what it does not.
CADORS confirms several important points:
- The event was formally recorded within Canada’s aviation occurrence system.
- Commercial flight crews reported unusual lights.
- More than one aircraft crew was involved.
- Canadian air-defence authorities were notified.
- The observations occurred over southern Saskatchewan on 19 January 2024. [discoverweyburn.com]discoverweyburn.compilots report bizarre lights when flying over southeast saskatchewanPilots report bizarre lights when flying over southeast…13 Feb 2024 — On January 19th, there were reports of lights from pilots who we…
However, the public record leaves major questions unanswered:
- Whether radar detected any corresponding targets.
- Whether military or civilian sensors tracked anything unusual.
- Whether satellite activity was reviewed.
- Whether atmospheric or astronomical explanations were ruled out.
- Whether Canadian air-defence authorities reached an internal conclusion. [Facebook]facebook.comat least four flights reported multiple lights sometimes in a triangle formationAt least four flights reported 'multiple lights sometimes in a…On January 19th, 2024, at 1040 Z, a Flair Airlines Boeing 737 a…
This gap is not unusual. Transport Canada’s CADORS system exists primarily as a safety-reporting mechanism. Occurrence entries are preliminary records designed to alert aviation stakeholders and preserve information, not necessarily to provide a complete public investigation. Transport Canada explicitly notes that CADORS records are preliminary and may not contain final analytical conclusions. [Transport Canada]tc.canada.caIt is also used to capture informationTransport CanadaThe Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System…15 Jul 2021 — Launched in 1985, CADORS was created to provide tim…
Possible Explanations and Unresolved Gaps
Several conventional explanations have been discussed since the reports emerged, but none has been publicly confirmed.
One possibility is that the crews observed satellites. Modern satellite constellations can create unusual visual effects, particularly before dawn when spacecraft remain illuminated by sunlight while observers on the ground or in aircraft are still in darkness. Satellite groupings can sometimes appear to change shape because of viewing angle and aircraft motion. However, no publicly released reconstruction has demonstrated that a specific satellite arrangement matched the observations. [iHeart]news.iheart.comThe strangeness started when a pilot…Read more…
Another possibility involves military or civilian aircraft operating at great distance. At night, aircraft lights can appear misleadingly bright or stationary, and perspective effects can create apparent formation changes. Yet the pilots’ requests and subsequent discussions suggest that the lights were unusual enough to prompt inquiries about military activity in the area. Public reporting has not produced evidence that a known military exercise accounted for the observations. [iHeart]news.iheart.comThe strangeness started when a pilot…Read more…
Atmospheric phenomena are also relevant. Reflections, ice crystals, high-altitude light sources, and unusual viewing conditions can alter the apparent position and motion of lights. Southern Saskatchewan’s winter skies can produce complex optical effects, although no official statement has linked the January 2024 reports to a specific atmospheric event. [discoverweyburn.com]discoverweyburn.compilots report bizarre lights when flying over southeast saskatchewanPilots report bizarre lights when flying over southeast…13 Feb 2024 — On January 19th, there were reports of lights from pilots who we…
The most important point is that the absence of a public explanation is not the same as evidence of an extraordinary one. The available documentation establishes that trained airline crews reported unusual lights and that the event entered official aviation channels. It does not establish what the lights were. [Transport Canada]tc.canada.caIt is also used to capture informationTransport CanadaThe Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System…15 Jul 2021 — Launched in 1985, CADORS was created to provide tim…
Why the Case Matters in Saskatchewan UFO History
Saskatchewan’s UFO history contains many isolated reports from ground observers, but relatively few recent cases involving multiple commercial flight crews and an official aviation occurrence record. The January 2024 triangle-light reports therefore occupy a distinctive place within the province’s modern UFO record.
The case illustrates a recurring feature of aviation-related sightings across the Canadian Prairies: strong witnesses, credible reporting channels, and incomplete public follow-up. The result is a category of incident that is neither convincingly explained nor supported by enough evidence to justify dramatic conclusions. For researchers and curious readers alike, the January 2024 reports remain an unresolved aviation mystery rather than a solved case or a proven anomaly. [discoverweyburn.com+2Transport Canada]discoverweyburn.compilots report bizarre lights when flying over southeast saskatchewanPilots report bizarre lights when flying over southeast…13 Feb 2024 — On January 19th, there were reports of lights from pilots who we…
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Endnotes
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Source: discoverweyburn.com
Title: pilots report bizarre lights when flying over southeast saskatchewan
Link: https://discoverweyburn.com/articles/pilots-report-bizarre-lights-when-flying-over-southeast-saskatchewanSource snippet
Pilots report bizarre lights when flying over southeast...13 Feb 2024 — On January 19th, there were reports of lights from pilots who we...
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Source: facebook.com
Title: at least four flights reported multiple lights sometimes in a triangle formation
Link: https://www.facebook.com/CTVNewsNorthernOntario/posts/at-least-four-flights-reported-multiple-lights-sometimes-in-a-triangle-formation/892962499505746/Source snippet
At least four flights reported 'multiple lights sometimes in a...On January 19th, 2024, at 1040 Z, a Flair Airlines Boeing 737 a...
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Source: news.iheart.com
Link: https://news.iheart.com/featured/coast-to-coast-am/content/2024-02-02-multiple-pilots-report-seeing-mysterious-lights-over-canadian-prairies/Source snippet
The strangeness started when a pilot...Read more...
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Source: tc.canada.ca
Title: It is also used to capture information
Link: https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/publications/aviation-safety-letter/issue-2-2021/civil-aviation-daily-occurrence-reporting-system-cadorsSource snippet
Transport CanadaThe Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System...15 Jul 2021 — Launched in 1985, CADORS was created to provide tim...
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Source: facebook.com
Title: theres a safety system that should have prevented the air canada ac8646 crash fr
Link: https://www.facebook.com/MeteorologistEricBurris/videos/theres-a-safety-system-that-should-have-prevented-the-air-canada-ac8646-crash-fr/943601231364952/
Additional References
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Source: otc-cta.gc.ca
Link: https://otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/enforcement-newsSource snippet
Enforcement newsThe Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) has issued administrative monetary penalties totalling $66,000 against Flair Air...
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Source: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca
Link: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/sor-96-433/Source snippet
Aviation Regulations (SOR /96-433)Canadian Aviation Regulations. Requirement for Notification. Marking and Lighting of Obstacles to Air...
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Source: cjme.com
Title: northern lights could put on a show in saskatchewan skies this week
Link: https://www.cjme.com/2024/07/30/northern-lights-could-put-on-a-show-in-saskatchewan-skies-this-week/Source snippet
Northern lights could put on a show in Saskatchewan skies...30 Jul 2024 — “We're expecting to see more activity on the sun, more solar f...
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/saskatchewan/comments/1ag0rbg/does_anyone_have_more_info_on_what_pilots_saw/Source snippet
high above the Canadian Prairies one morning earlier this month, according...
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Source: x.com
Link: https://x.com/dsotis/status/1750185710919807405Source snippet
lights sometimes in a TRIANGLE FORMATION" above the...Read more...
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Source: youtube.com
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVqGbIIqR1wSource snippet
"January 19, 2024" "Saskatchewan" pilots triangle lights Air traffic control audio: Pilots report 'triangles' over Canadian prairies on J...
Published: January 19, 2024
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Source: instagram.com
Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/DLm9TdwJgJ2/?hl=enSource snippet
at Saskatchewan River Crossing, Alberta, Canada.Read more...
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Source: youtube.com
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgbNKOK7lr4Source snippet
[Sky Canada]({{ 'sky-canada/' | relative_url }}) Project, UFOs, UAPs and FOIA | UAP Files Podcast S3E7 | Daniel Otis...
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Source: youtube.com
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psGxOznGuiMSource snippet
Standing Committee on Science and Research (Feb. 27, 2024)...
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Source: youtube.com
Title: The truth is out there: How Canada tracks UFOs
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWistYd7VngSource snippet
Chris Rutkowski on Canada's UFOs, Government UFO Consultation and Nearly Five Decades of Research...
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