The pilot of American Airlines flight 1997 was about 15 kilometres from landing at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday evening when they saw something roughly 300 metres to their left that made them radio the tower.

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A man flies a jet pack at a 2018 Red Bull Air Race, a more appropriate location than near a commercial airport. Picture: Valery Hache / AFPSource:AFP

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“Tower, American 1997, we just passed a guy in a jet pack,” the pilot said.

The tower responded with a surprised “OK, thank you” before asking where they saw the mysterious pilot.

Once they learned more of the jet pack’s position the tower warned other flights in the area, one of whom also confirmed a sighting.

“Use caution,” the tower said to approaching Jet Blue flight 23 from New York.

“Person in a jet pack reported … south of the LA final [approach].”

“Only in LA,” another pilot responded dryly.
 

The pilot who spotted the jet packer said they were flying at an altitude of more than 900 metres.

An American Airlines Airbus taking off from the Los Angeles International Airport. Picture: iStockSource:istock

Fox 11 Los Angeles looked into it, approaching American Airlines, who told them to talk to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The FAA told them it had turned the investigation over to police and sent them to talk to the Los Angeles Police Department.

The LAPD said it was the first they’d heard about it.

The FBI is now investigating in an effort to figure out what happened.

While jet packs are a real thing they are very dangerous and are mainly used by thrillseeking tourists on controlled, low-level flights.

Two former pilots who spoke to Fox 11 said the situation should be taken seriously.

“There was no question in my mind, that American [Airlines] pilot was very definitive about what he saw out his window,” aviation safety expert Steve Cowell told the broadcaster.

“This was a crazy place to be,” Ross Aimer said.

“The danger is god forbid they would have hit this object whatever it was, it could get sucked into the engine at a low altitude that could cause considerable damage to the aircraft passengers, not considering the person who was in the jetpack.”