selected ufo cases
Pilot / Aircrew Cases
The Valentich Mystery
October, 21, 1978 - Bass Strait , Australia
It was the extraordinary disappearance of pilot Frederick Valentich (left) over Bass Strait on October 21st, 1978, that thrust the subject of UFOs into the news headlines around the world. The Valentich mystery has endured as an insoluble enigma. View full report
Source: Bill Chalker ID: 24
Case Type: MajorCase Features: Pilot/Aircrew, Witness Photo
Pilot sighting of glowing orange sphere in Tranquillity, California
July, 28, 1978 - Tranquillity, California, United States
From the witness: "That sighting of 28 July made a very deep and lasting impression. I can still see the glowing orange, flattened sphere as vividly in my mind as it appeared on that early morning many years ago. I have no doubt that the device (or whatever it was) was real - there is absolutely no way that it could have been a product of my imagination." View full report
Source: Brian Vike, HBCCUFO Research (hbccufo.org) ID: 1056
Case Type: RawReport Features: Pilot/Aircrew
Veteran Pilot Encounters UFO With Portholes
January, 1, 1978 - Santa Monica, California, United States
A dome-shaped UFO with portholes was seen in broad daylight by veteran pilot Floyd P. Hallstrom of Oxnard, California. Hallstrom had been flying for 37 years, 17½ as a Navy combat air crewman and personal crew chief to admirals, including the Commander-in-Chief of the Atlantic Fleet. View full report
Source: FUFOR, MUFON UFO Journal, January 1978 ID: 37
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Pilot/Aircrew, Portholes/Windows
Retired Chilean General in air encounter with large 'banana-shaped' UFO
1978 - Antofagasta, Chile
Retired General Hernan Gabrielli Rojas had squared off against a gigantic UFO while engaging in a training flight in the skies of northern Chile. According to the military man, the object was the size of 10 or 15 aircraft carriers, and its presence was picked up by the radars aboard two F-5 jet fighters as well as the Cerro Moreno airport in Antofagasta. View full report
Source: Inexplicata, Scott Corrales, editor / Ovnivisión (Chile) / Revista TOC / Terra Chile ID: 997
Case Type: PressReport Features: Military, Pilot/Aircrew, Witness Photo, Radar
F-4 Jet Chase over Iran 1976
September, 18, 1976 - Tehran, Iran
One of the best documented UFO-aircraft incidents, when a UFO was observed flying over the restricted airspace of Tehran, Iran. Two U.S.-made F-4 Phantom II jet fighters of the Imperial Iranian Air Force were scrambled, but as the pilots closed in on the target, their communications and weapons systems were suddenly jammed. The incident was confirmed by high ranking officers of the Iranian Air Force and later documented by several agencies of the U.S. military. View full report
Source: Don Berliner, UFO Briefing Document: The Best Available Evidence ID: 200
Case Type: MajorCase Features: E-M Effects, Radar, Pilot/Aircrew, Military
UFOs 'escort' Mexican aircraft
May, 2, 1974 - En route from Guerrero state to Mexico City, Mexico
Carlos Antonio de los Santos Montiel was flying en route from Guerrero state to Mexico city in his Piper Aztec 24, he became aware of three objects positioned extremely close around the plane. He heard a noise from below, as if one of the objects had collided with his plane. He then noticed that the aircraft controls and landing gear were frozen. View full report
Source: APRO Bulletin, Vol. 24 No. 2 (Aug 1975) ID: 311
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Radar, Pilot/Aircrew, Vehicle Interference, Multiple UFOs, Witness Photo
Coyne Helicopter Incident
October, 18, 1973 - Mansfield, Ohio, United States
The Coyne case (or "Army helicopter incident") stands out as, perhaps the most credible (in the "high strangeness" category) of the 1973 wave. An Army Reserve helicopter crew of four men encountered a gray, metallic-looking, cigar-shaped object, with unusual lights and maneuvers, as they were airborne between Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio. View full report
Source: Jennie Zeidman, CUFOS ID: 104
Case Type: MajorCase Features: Pilot/Aircrew, Military
Domed Disc Near Airliner, Confirmed By Radar
February, 14, 1973 - McAlester, Oklahoma, United States
A domed disc near cargo airliner, confirmed by the airplane's airborne radar. The object was disc-shaped with a transparent dome on top, and a silvery, highly polished surface. The object reacted to the sweep of the plane's radar. Pilots from the airliner saw two or three shadowy entities moving around inside the object. View full report
Source: Richard Hall / UFO Casebook ID: 15
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Pilot/Aircrew, Radar, Humanoid/Occupant
Lago de Cote Photograph
September, 4, 1971 - Lago de Cote, Costa Rica
Photo was taken by a Costa Rican government mapping plane during an aerial mapping mission. No member of the crew stated that they saw anything unusual during the routine flight. Much analysis has been undertaken using the original negative. View full report
Source: STUDIOVNI ID: 250
Case Type: MajorCase Features: Photo, Pilot/Aircrew
Pilot 'flees' from giant cone-shaped UFO pacing plane
September, 20, 1966 - Near Sebring, Florida, United States
A Winter Haven, Florida, private pilot reported he fled from a giant cone-shaped UFO which kept his plane in shadow for about three minutes on the morning of September 20, 1966. "That thing had not changed in size at all, but was still with me and pacing me. It was still as big as a football field." View full report
Source: NICAP (National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomenon), ID: 552
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Pilot/Aircrew
Experienced pilot and passenger sight disc-shaped UFO with dome on top
May, 21, 1966 - Near Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, United States
An 18,000-hour pilot and his passenger made a clear daylight sighting of a disc-shaped UFO with a dome on top on the afternoon of May 21, 1966 near Willow Grove, Pa. "It was as clear as seeing a Cadillac drifting by at 100 yards," said William C. Powell. Currently active in executive-transport flying, Powell was a pilot for the Dutch KLM airlines, and before that for the U.S. Air Force and RCAF. View full report
Source: NICAP (National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomenon), ID: 551
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Pilot/Aircrew
Planes chased by elliptical luminous object, EM effects over Japan
March, 21, 1965 - Himeji, Ieshima Islands, Japan
"Inaba was the captain of the Convair-240, with 28 passengers aboard, which encountered the oblong and luminescent object over the Ieshima Islands in the Seto Inland Sea at 7.06 p.m. on Thursday. Fearing a collision, Inaba turned the plane 60 degrees to the right, but the flying saucer made an abrupt turn and flew along with the plane for about three minutes." View full report
Source: Tokyo Japan Times, March 21, 1965 (UPI), Mainichi Daily News (Tokyo), March 22 ID: 628
Case Type: PressReport Features: E-M Effects, Pilot/Aircrew
A Gigantic 'Cigar' Over the Atlantic In 1963
May, 1963 - Over the Atlantic Ocean,
Almost beneath the DC-8, was a gigantic dark grey 'torpedo'. It seemed menacing and frightening, and I had the impression that it was stationary. It was utterly unlike anything that I had ever seen in my whole life. It looked as though made of steel. No portholes or windows were visible. No wings or projections. Nothing but the long perfect torpedo form, with its bullet-shaped head, and the rear end which was cut off sharply andsquarely. View full report
Source: Flying Saucer Review, Volume 46/4, Winter 2001 ID: 139
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Pilot/Aircrew
Disc-shaped UFO hovers, then evades pursuit by pilot
October, 2, 1961 - Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
A grayish disc-shaped object which hovered, wobbling on its axis, then evaded pursuit, was sighted October 2, 1961 at Salt Lake City, Utah airport. Private pilot Waldo J. Harris, a real estate broker, investigated the object in his light aircraft as 8-10 ground personnel at the airport watched. The object was disc shaped, 50 feet in diameter, and 8-10 feet thick. View full report
Source: NICAP / Richard Hall (1964) from NICAP case report ID: 638
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Witness Sketch, Pilot/Aircrew, Group Sighting
Airliners Paced by three UFOs (The Killian Case)
February, 23, 1959 - Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States
The sighting of three glowing objects by several airline crews February 24, 1959 is one of the most thoroughly investigated (and, ironically, one of the most controversial) on record. The key witness, Capt. Peter W. Killian, was interviewed by NICAP personnel. A detailed investigation report, including weather data, air navigation maps, etc. , was submitted to NlCAP by the New York City Affiliate. The Akron UFO Research Committee co - operated in the investigation, adding valuable details. View full report
Source: Richard Hall, UFO Evidence, 1964 (NICAP) ID: 1105
Case Type: MajorCase Features: Pilot/Aircrew, Witness Photo
Commercial Plane Follows UFO over New York State
April, 8, 1958 - New York, United States
April 8, 1956: A very brilliant light was followed across New York State by an American Airlines plane. The pilots were Capt. Raymond Ryan and First Officer William Neff. The chase was described by radio to Air Force and civilian control tower operators. The following account of the sighting is taken from a tape-recorded interview program. View full report
Source: Richard Hall, UFO Evidence, 1964 ID: 1104
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Pilot/Aircrew
The RB-47 UFO Encounter
July, 17, 1957 - Gulf Coast Area, United States
An Air Force RB-47, equipped with electronic countermeasures (ECM) gear and manned by six officers, was followed by an unidentified object for a distance of well over 700 mi. and for a time period of 1.5 hr., as it flew from Mississippi, through Louisiana and Texas and into Oklahoma. The object was, at various times, seen visually by the cockpit crew as an intensely luminous light, followed by ground-radar and detected on ECM monitoring gear aboard the RB-47. View full report
Source: Loy Lawhon ID: 665
Case Type: MajorCase Features: Pilot/Aircrew, Military, Radar
Canadian military pilots see and photograph UFO
August, 27, 1956 - McCleod, Alberta, Canada
The witnesses were two Royal Canadian Air Force pilots who were flying in a formation of four F86 Sabre jet aircraft. One of the pilots saw a "bright light which was sharply defined and disk-shaped," that resembled "a shiny silver dollar sitting horizontal." The first pilot to notice the object took a photograph. View full report
Source: STUDIOVNI ID: 255
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Photo, Military, Pilot/Aircrew
Navy Sees 'Flying Saucers' on Radar Screen
December, 16, 1954 - Goulburn, Australia
Navy pilot has reported seeing two "flying saucers" flash past him while he was flying over Goulburn, N.S.W. Radar officers at Nowra Fleet Air station picked up the objects on their screen. View full report
Source: Daily Telegraph December 16th 1954 ID: 22
Case Type: PressReport Features: Radar, Pilot/Aircrew, Military
The 'Sea Fury' Incident
August, 31, 1954 - Nowra, Australia
One of the most controversial radar visual reports of the fifties occurred on August 31st, 1954. The story leaked out in December, 1954, and made front page headlines. The official navy file on the event remained classified until the Directorate of Naval Intelligence released a copy upon my request in 1982. During his 1973 visit to Australia, Dr. Hynek was able to interview the pilot involved in this famous incident. View full report
Source: Bill Chalker ID: 66
Case Type: MajorCase Features: Radar, Pilot/Aircrew, Military
The Kinross Air Force Base Incident (jet disappears while chasing UFO)
November, 23, 1953 - Lake Superior, Michigan, United States
On the evening of 23 November 1953, an Air Force radar controller became alerted to an "unidentified target" over Lake Superior, and an F-89C Scorpion jet was scrambled from Kinross AFB. Radar controllers watched as the F-89 closed in on the UFO, and then sat stunned in amazement as the two blips merged on the screen, and the UFO left. The F-89 and it’s two man crew, pilot Felix Moncla and radar operator Robert Wilson, were never found, even after a thorough search of the area. View full report
Source: Loy Lawhon, About.com ID: 610
Case Type: MajorCase Features: Pilot/Aircrew, Military, Radar, Witness Photo
Ellsworth Air Force Base UFO Incident
August, 5, 1953 - Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, United States
Shortly after dark on the night of twelfth [sic], the Air Defense Command radar station at Ellsworth AFB, just east of Rapid City, had received a call from the local Ground Observer Corps filter center. A lady spotter at Black Hawk, about 10 miles west of Ellsworth, had reported an extremely bright light low on the horizon, off to the northeast. View full report
Source: Captain Edward J. Ruppelt, Former Director of Project Blue Book ID: 41
Case Type: MajorCase Features: Radar, Pilot/Aircrew, Military
B-29 Radar Visual, Multiple Witness Observations
December, 6, 1952 - Gulf of Mexico, United States
When watching the radarscope, Coleman observed two UFOs which he tracked at a speed in excess of 5.000 miles per hour, quite impossible for planes of the day. View full report
Source: UFOs at Close Sight (Patrick Gross) ID: 16
Case Type: MajorCase Features: Pilot/Aircrew, Military, Radar
The Nash-Fortenberry Sighting (aircraft encounter with formation of UFOs)
July, 14, 1952 - Virginia, United States
A Pan American World Airways DC-4 was on a routine flight from New York to Miami. The crew included Captain Koepke, First Officer William B. Nash and Second Officer William H. Fortenberry. Suddenly, they noticed six bright objects in echelon formation streaking toward them at tremendous speed. They had the fiery aspect of hot coals, but of much greater glow. View full report
Source: Tom Tulien, Sign Historical Group ID: 92
Case Type: MajorCase Features: Pilot/Aircrew, Witness Photo, Multiple UFOs
