A pilot of the airline American Airlines was approaching the Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday to land when he contacted the control tower to alert that he had sighted a person flying with a jetpack at the height of his plane, more than 3,000 feet tall.
Another pilot subsequently reported the same sighting.
The event has prompted an investigation by the authorities.
"Two airline flight crews reported seeing what appeared to be someone in a jetpack when they were arriving at Los Angeles International Airport around 6:35 pm Sunday," reported the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA, in English), which investigates the incident.
"The FBI is aware of the pilot reports on Sunday and is working to determine what happened," the agency added in its statement.
A plane prepares to land at Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday, May 11, 2017.AP Photo / Reed Saxon
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The Fox 11 Los Angeles television station had access to the recordings of the communications between the aircraft and the tower.
"Torre, American 1997, we just passed a guy in a
jetpack,
" one pilot reported.
"American 1997, okay, thank you, were they on your left side or on your right side?" Asked the controller.
"On the left side, approximately 300 meters at our altitude," replied the pilot.
Another pilot also reported a sighting.
"We just saw the guy pass us in a
jetpack,
" he noted.
The controller advised the flight crew of another aircraft to be careful.
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"A person in a jetpack stood about 270 meters (300 yards) south of the final approach for LA, about 3,000 feet (914 meters) up," confirmed the controller.
David Mayman, CEO of Los Angeles-based Jetpack Aviation, questioned whether it was a
jetpack
.
"It's very, very unlikely with existing technology," Mayman said.
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"I'm open to being surprised," he added, "but I don't think there is anyone working in technology that can make a flight from ground level to 3,000 feet and then back down."
Mayman speculated that it could have been a drone, but added that at the height it supposedly reached it is unfeasible for most of these devices.
With information from AP, Fox 11, Los Angeles Times and NBC News.