selected ufo cases
Close Encounters of the 1st Kind (CE1)
Large disc-shaped craft with dome flies low over couple's home
1979 - Santa Clarita Valley, California, United States
From the witness: "I saw a craft approaching the house... it was directly over our house and pool. It was approximately 75-100 feet above us... The craft was about 75-100 feet or less in diameter. It had small porthole and lights around it in the upper dome section, it was solid, metallic and shiny. There was a dome above it and attached to the body with no visible separation, as if it were molded as one solid craft." View full report
Source: UFOEvidence.org / Brian Vike, HBCCUFO ID: 1035
Case Type: RawReport Features: Silent, Portholes/Windows, Body Lights
Long cigar-shape object with portholes, colored lights flying above treetops
March, 1, 1978 - Middlebury , Connecticut, United States
"I saw this long cigar shaped object just above the treetops, not more than 150 feet away. Probably even closer than that. It was right beside me flying parallel to me, but slightly faster... It was about 100 feet long, and 15 feet high. It had rounded ends on the front and back. It looked just like a cigar or a hot dog." View full report
Source: UFOEvidence.org ID: 474
Case Type: RawReport Features: Witness Sketch, Portholes/Windows
Mass sighting of large jellyfish-like UFO over Petrosavodsk, USSR
September, 20, 1977 - Petrosavodsk, Russian Federation
Early risers in Petrosavodsk saw a bright light suddenly appearing amid the clouds at about 4:05 a.m. The star-like light came nearer and descended in a spiral trajectory, and soon looked like a ball of fire. Soon, it looked like an reddish-orange hemisphere surrounded by a bright zone. During the next few seconds, hundreds of thin rays of light, like thin arrows, were showered upon the earth. The thing now looked like a big jellyfish with golden tentacles, shining in beautiful colors. View full report
Source: Michael Hesemann, 1998 ID: 636
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Sound, Physical Trace, Mass Sighting
Pennsylvania man encounters UFO hovering over field next to home
March, 29, 1977 - Morgan Run, Pennsylvania, United States
Burton Woods, 45, of Morgan Run, PA, said he saw a craft hovering over a field near his mobile home. Woods suffered from headaches and blurred vision after the sighting. Much excitement was stirred by his UFO encounter, since he was able to get so close to the craft before it veered up and out of sight. The object was described as 170-200 feet in length. View full report
Source: The Clearfield Progress (Clearfield, PA), Apr. 4, 1977 ID: 694
Case Type: PressReport Features: Physiological Effects, Witness Sketch
UFO hovers over two policemen in patrol car
February, 10, 1977 - Flora, Mississippi, United States
Madison County Sheriff's Deputy Kenneth Creel and Constable James Luke were on a routine patrol drive when they witnessed a 30 to 40 foot UFO which approached them at close range. "The thing came right over the car," said Creel. "...The thing just hovered over us, about 20 or 30 feet up, for more than a minute." View full report
Source: Madison Co. Herald (Canton, MS), Feb. 17, 1977 ID: 425
Case Type: Features: Police
Six witnesses see UFO in Jayess, MS
February, 5, 1977 - Jayess, Mississippi, United States
"The most dramatic sighting of an UFO to be reported in this part of Mississippi took place near Jayess Saturday, February 5, and was seen at close quarters by at least six adults. Another sighting was reported in Madison County Wednesday, February 3, and was seen there by a constable and a deputy sheriff." View full report
Source: Tylertown Times (Tylertown, MS), Feb. 17, 1977 ID: 436
Case Type: PressReport Features: Portholes/Windows
Police officer has repeat sighting
April, 22, 1976 - Elmwood, Wisconsin, United States
At about 11 p.m., George Wheeler, a relief policeman at the town of Elmwood, WI, encountered a strange glowing object which he estimated was about 500 feet distant and hovering about 100 feet off the ground. There were six bluish-white lights, windows or portholes on the side and he could see shadows as if someone was moving inside of it. This case involves apparent electro-mechanical effects, multiple witnesses, and possible animal reaction. View full report
Source: APRO Bulletin, Vol. 24 No. 10 (Apr 1976) ID: 341
Case Type: StandardCase Features: E-M Effects, Police, Animal Reaction, Multiple UFOs, Witness Photo, Witness Sketch, Portholes/Windows
Low-flying metallic saucer slowly flying over apartment complex
1976 - Broadview Heights, Ohio, United States
From the witness: "As I was looking out my parents upstairs window, slowly and silently a metallic saucer shape approximately 30 feet across moved into my eyesight from over another apartment complex... It flew just over the tree tops and the building.... The object looked like it was a rough polished metal. Light bronze/silver. Flat on the bottom except for right in the center of the underside." View full report
Source: NUFORC (National UFO Reporting Center, Peter Davenport, Director) ID: 1065
Case Type: RawReport Features: Silent
Couple witness disc-shaped object
October, 31, 1974 - Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
"It was less than 100 yards away and about 200-300 feet up, and they could see through the red halo as the bright light "had been swung away" from them. Like a large hamburger bun, the color of "dirty brass" it had a base of about 25 feet, then an outer flange. The diameter of the body of the craft, they feel, was 30 feet. A "belt" of square-shaped windows circled the object." View full report
Source: Graham Conway, UFO*BC ID: 961
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Witness Sketch, Portholes/Windows, Vehicle Encounter
Egg-shaped UFO seen from mountain lodge, reacts to firing of signal flare
December, 10, 1973 - Hochries Mountain, Germany
Mr. L., the proprietor of an Alpine lodge on Hochries mountain in Germany, along with the caretaker, noticed a red light on the top of the mountain. Mr. L. fired a red flare signal rocket in the direction of the unidentified object. Soon after, the object started to shine in a much brighter red color and rose-up slowly in the air. It moved in the direction of the Hochries-lodge, and the witnesses now recognized that the object was egg-shaped. View full report
Source: Illobrand von Ludwiger / MUFON-CES, (1998) ID: 652
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Interaction/Reaction, Body Lights
Black sphere hovers near U.S. Naval Comm. Station at North West Cape, Australia
October, 25, 1973 - North-West Cape, Australia
According to official reports, at 7.30 p.m. Lieutenant Commander M, of the US Navy, observed 'a large black, airborne object' in the airspace over the important US intelligence base at North-West Cape. US Navy Fire Captain L had also seen the object. The object was about 10 metres in diameter and was about 300 metres above the ground. It was completely stationary except for a halo around its centre, which appeared to be either revolving or pulsating. View full report
Source: Bill Chalker (1996) ID: 629
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Military, Nuclear Facility
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
Family observes glowing, disc-shaped UFO with light beam for 15 minutes
June, 25, 1973 - Dundurrabin, Australia
On about 25 June, members of the Dorrington family observed a large, disc-shaped UFO for about 15 minutes between 6.30 and 7.00 p.m. The whole of the object was surrounded by a green glow. There appeared to be a rotating, brilliant red light around the middle of the object. A V-shaped green 'solid' beam seemed to oscillate up and down. This sighting occurred during a flap in the area of two small timber towns, Tyringham and Dundurrabin. View full report
Source: Bill Chalker (1996) ID: 627
Case Type: StandardCase
Large disc with light beam follows car near Nowra, Australia
January, 1973 - Nowra, Australia
Elizabeth C was driving along the South Coast of NSW with four other people, when the group encountered a UFO which began to travel alongside the car. The object was large, disc-shaped, and there appeared to be a distinct 'searchlight' beam effect that rotated around its bottom. At least one of the witnesses was certain that figures could be seen in the windows of the object. After following the car for 24 km, the object seemed to suddenly relocate and headed out to sea. View full report
Source: Bill Chalker, (1996) ID: 625
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Humanoid/Occupant, Military, Portholes/Windows
Tractor driver approached and 'scrutinized' by ball of light
December, 16, 1972 - Garah, Australia
Greg Hardy, a New England University Economics student was working on a friend's farm, when he heard a noise and saw an object that appeared to land. Then, a smaller object flew towards the witness. It did not appear to be solid, but the centre appeared to be more concentrated than the rest of the white ball of light. View full report
Source: Bill Chalker, FSR Vol. 19 No. 5 ID: 596
Case Type: StandardCase
Large glowing orange craft over park, possible 'missing time' in Portland, Oregon
June, 1971 - Portland, Oregon, United States
I saw a large glowing orange craft over a park near a house we rented in Portland, OR. It was huge and had the appearance of a molten metal disk. It appeared hot (like molten metal would be) but didn't radiate any heat that I could tell. The craft sat in the air unmoving for some time but left very abrubtly moving quickly almost straight up. View full report
Source: UFOEvidence.org ID: 840
Case Type: RawReport Features: Children, Missing Time
Large reddish disc seen at close range in Draguignan, France
March, 29, 1971 - Draguignan, France
Two young men from Draguignan named Pierre Calafat and Andre Bouchaud, members of a dance band, go to an isolated house which they have rented. When they drive up to the house, they observe a large reddish disc, flying around above a vineyard beside the house, about 150 metres from them. They park and watch the UFO performing zigzag movements, and then see it come to a halt at a height of ten metres or so above the ground and only about 50 metres from them. View full report
Source: J.C. Dufour, FSR Vol. 19 No. 3 ID: 593
Case Type: StandardCase
Large object hovers over TV station tower in Florence, SC, in 1970
March, 1970 - Florence, South Carolina, United States
The witness, who was an employee at a TV station, saw a "UFO in broad daylight hovering on top of the [TV] tower, [and then] ran back inside the station to get the news director, Mr. Bill Fields." The craft was metallic, round, with a round cupola on top of the craft. It was about 100 feet across and about 25 feet tall. The encounter lasted for more than four hours, during which the object moved and stopped a couple of times before shooting off at "blinding speed." View full report
Source: UFOEvidence.org ID: 922
Case Type: RawReport Features: Witness Sketch, Body Lights
Disc with dome hovers over car along rural highway in Tennessee
1969 - Paris, Tennessee, United States
The witness was driving back to college with his roommate. Theirs was the only car on a long stretch of rural highway between Paris and McKenzie, Tennessee. Suddenly, they saw streaks of light coming from the top of their windshield; they stopped the car on the road and got out. Directly above their car was a round disc-like object with windows. It had a raised dome "cockpit" in the center of the top half. It was hovering and spinning effortlessly about 200 feet directly above them. View full report
Source: UFOEvidence.org ID: 953
Case Type: RawReport Features: Body Lights, Sound, Vehicle Encounter
Terrified witnesses observe near-landing of UFO
July, 30, 1968 - Claremont, New Hampshire, United States
A manufacturing plant worker was carrying two buckets of water toward his garden when he saw "a bright round object float in a gentle arc low in the sky to the northeast." It looked like a full moon but was at an extremely low altitude. Shortly thereafter and just two miles away, a land surveyor and his wife witnessed a dome-shaped object. It was about 20 feet wide and hovered approximately 10 feet above the ground, and was 230 feet away. View full report
Source: NICAP (National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomenon), 'Strange Effects from UFOs', by Donald Keyhoe and Gordon Lore ID: 576
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Animal Reaction, Witness Sketch, Humming
Two craft flew over mobile home and landed in remote area near home
December, 31, 1967 - Bithlo, Florida, United States
Watched UFO glide over mobile home without sound. UFO was joined by another craft that came from another angle. Both crafts landed in a remote area less than a quarter-mile from mobile home. Moments later, a formation of helicoptors and two jets began flying over the general area of where the two crafts had landed. View full report
Source: UFO Evidence ID: 72
Case Type: RawReport
Close-range sighting of circular craft; missing time
September, 5, 1966 - Columbus, Nebraska, United States
From the witness: "He looked up and a round craft was directly over him at around 100 ft. in the air. It was not very large in size, completely circular, and had green lights, red lights and some yellowish lights on the bottom. There seemed to be some sort of lines in the bottom, like spokes in a wheel look. It was making a low humming sound that resonated. It was almost pitch dark so he couldn't see the color of the craft. " View full report
Source: NUFORC (National UFO Reporting Center, Peter Davenport, Director) ID: 1064
Case Type: RawReport Features: Missing Time, Body Lights, Vehicle Encounter, Humming
Portage County, Ohio UFO Chase
April, 17, 1966 - Portage County, Ohio, United States
One of the most dramatic encounters by police officers with an apparently structured, low-level UFO. Officers chased the object for eighty-five miles, as it seemed to play a cat-and-mouse game with them. This case was the basis for the UFO "chase" in the film 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind.' View full report
Source: Richard Hall, NICAP website ID: 79
Case Type: MajorCase Features: Police, Witness Sketch, Humming
Disc-shaped object hovering few feet above road
March, 31, 1966 - Near Vicksburg, Michigan, United States
Jeno Udvardy, a 1956 Hungarian refugee, was driving home from a late work shift near Vicksburg, Michigan. When he reached the crest of a hill he saw a cluster of lights on the road. They were seen to be on a disc-shaped object hovering a few feet above the road and blocking his passage. View full report
Source: NICAP (National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomenon), ID: 554
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Vehicle Interference, Humming
