A pilot who came close to crashing into an unidentified flying object recalled the incident in a report that reportedly shook experts. The American Airlines pilot claimed he saw a long cylindrical object flying over New Mexico exactly one year ago.

Both the pilot and the FBI confirmed that flight AA 2292 had a near-miss with a UFO on February 21, 2021.

The aircraft was travelling between Cincinnati and Phoenix when the bizarre event occurred shortly before twenty past one local time, reports the Daily Star.

It quickly became one of the most significant UFO sightings of last year, becoming one of several triggers that saw experts push for more transparency from the US government about investigations into alien life.

The unexplained incident saw the pilot contact Albuquerque air traffic control to request information when he 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.”

American Airlines initially played down the report.

The American airlines pilot reported the UFO sighting to the FBI

However, 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 February 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.

The pilot described the object as long and cylindrical

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.”

The unidentified object was spotted in US airspace between Cincinnati and Phoenix