selected ufo cases
All Cases: Sorted by Date Posted
Circular object, appearing as a flaming ring, seen by architect
April, 26, 1954 - Newburyport, Massachusetts, United States
Russell M. Peirce, architect, reported a circular object which made a right-angle turn. "I was standing at the rear of the local High School building talking with two friends... Suddenly we all heard a very loud deep roar as of many motors... The object as I first saw it appeared as a flaming ring. The color was a little on the whitish tone but also had some suggestion of the orange-yellow of the common flame of burning wood, say." View full report
Source: NICAP / Richard Hall, 1964 (from NICAP case file) ID: 646
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Sound, Witness Sketch
Disc-shaped UFO, larger than full moon, seen by police officers and others
September, 26, 1963 - Sunnyvale, California, United States
During the early morning of September 26, 1963, a UFO was sighted by people in scattered locations around the San Francisco Bay area. Officer Galen Anderson of Sunnvale Police Dept. observed the UFO for 45 seconds and submitted a particularly detailed report. This object appeared larger than a full moon, according to Officer Anderson, about basketball size at about 8 feet away. View full report
Source: NICAP / Richard Hall, 1964 (reported in San Jose Mercury News and SF Chronicle) ID: 645
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Police, Group Sighting
Cigar-shaped UFO with portholes seen by Honeywell metallurgist
November, 22, 1961 - Near Grafton, Nebraska, United States
A Minneapolis Honeywell metallurgist, Melvin C. Vagle, Jr., and his wife saw a cigar-shaped UFO while driving along U.S. Highway 81. "At the lower end. . . there was a bright 'flashing white light ann at the upper end there was a steady red light. Along the length of the fuselage there was a row of square-appearing ports, illuminated with a white yellowish light." View full report
Source: NICAP / Richard Hall, 1964 (original case in "The Honeywell World," Jan. 1962) ID: 644
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Scientist/Engineer, Portholes/Windows
Sighting by zoologist and UFO researcher Ivan T. Sanderson
October, 2, 1958 - Near Blairstown, New Jersey, United States
Shortly after 5:00 p.m., noted Zoologist Ivan T. Sanderson observed a disc- shaped UFO maneuvering over the Delaware Water Gap. The flat disc looped back and forth, appearing sometimes edge-on (as a very thin line), sometimes oval to circular. It vanished once, but quickly reappeared, and continued its rapid gyrations, finally speeding away to the west. View full report
Source: NICAP / Richard Hall (1964) ID: 643
Case Type: SummaryReport Features: Scientist/Engineer, Witness Sketch
UFO descends, then speeds away, near Walworth, Wisconsin
January, 8, 1959 - Walworth, Wisconsin, United States
Gordon Higgins, a draftsman who has had two years USAF experience as control tower operator and flight controller, watched a UFO descend and then speed away horizontally. The object glowed bright white, before changing to orange as it sped away, leaving a trail of sparks. View full report
Source: NICAP / Richard Hall (1964) ID: 642
Case Type: SummaryReport Features: Witness Sketch
Strategic Air Command officers watch UFO with satellite objects
September, 8, 1958 - Offutt AFB, Omaha, Nebraska, United States
At SAC headquarters in 1958, a group of officers, airmen and missile engineers observed an elongated UFO with satellite objects for about 20 minutes. According to the report filed by Major Paul A. Duich, USAF (Ret.), "all except a few of the airmen were seasoned, veteran flyers or highly trained missile engineers. We concluded that what was seen by all was no conventional vehicle, nor was it an atmospheric phenomenon." View full report
Source: NICAP / Richard Hall (1964) from NICAP case file ID: 641
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Military, Group Sighting, Witness Sketch
Formation of round UFOs maneuver near ship in 1904
February, 28, 1904 - Pacific Ocean off San Francisco, California, United States
Three members of the crew of the USS Supply, at 6:10 a.m. local time, sighted an echelon formation of three objects which appeared near the horizon below clouds, moving directly toward the ship. As they approached, the UFOs began soaring, rose above the cloud layer, and were observed climbing into space, still in echelon. The lead object was egg-shaped and about the size of six suns, and the other two were smaller and round. View full report
Source: NICAP / Richard Hall (1964) citing "Monthly Weather Review" (1904) ID: 640
Case Type: SummaryReport Features: Multiple UFOs, Water-Related
Two patrolmen see glowing red UFO in New Jersey
December, 20, 1958 - Dunellen, New Jersey, United States
Patrolmen LeRoy A. Arboreen and B. Talada were on night patrol when they saw an object coming from the west. "At first it looked like a red hot piece of coal about the size of a quarter held at arm's length. In a matter of seconds it was as large as a ruler held at arm's length... The body of the object was solid bright red and it gave off a pulsating red glow... The object hovered a few seconds, then made a left turn and again hovered for a few seconds, then went straight up like a shot." View full report
Source: NICAP / Richard Hall (1964) from NICAP case report ID: 639
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Police, Witness Sketch
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
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
UFO crash in Bolivia witnessed by thousands of people
May, 6, 1978 - El Taire Mountain, Bolivia
On May 6, 1978, at about 4:15 p.m., something crashed into a mountain near El Taire on the Bermejo River, the border between the Bolivian province of Tarija and Argentina. Thousands of people saw this happening and later described the object as being cylindrical in shape with a flaming tail. It had caused a supersonic bang that was heard up to 150 miles away. View full report
Source: Michael Hesemann, 1998 ID: 635
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Crash/Retrieval, Mass Sighting
UFO and occupants seen near Cowichan Hospital in BC, Canada
January, 1, 1970 - Duncan, British Columbia, Canada
Miss Doreen Kendall, a practical nurse at the Cowichan District Hospital on Vancouver Island, was looking out the window of the ward, when she saw 60 feet away an "object so big and bright I could see everything clearly." There were two male-like figures in the craft, one behind the other. One of the "men" eventually looked right at Doreen, and the craft started to move away, but not before Freida Wilson, a registered nurse, also saw the object. View full report
Source: John Magor, ID: 633
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Humanoid/Occupant, 'Dyad Scout Craft', Interaction/Reaction, Witness Photo
UFO with two occupants seen by Dorset, UK woman
September, 1977 - Parkstone, United Kingdom
Mrs. Ethel May Field, 62, a housewife, had gone out to the back garden to take in washing from the clothes-line, when she heard a humming sound which prompted her to look at the sky. She encountered a round object with a dome on top. Standing inside the windows of the object were two humanoid occupants, one at each window. View full report
Source: Leslie Harris, FSR Vol. 24 No. 2 (1978) ID: 632
Case Type: StandardCase Features: 'Dyad Scout Craft', Humanoid/Occupant, Physiological Effects, Humming, Witness Photo, Communication
The Langenhoe Incident (Motorcyclist encounters UFO)
September, 14, 1965 - Mersea island, Essex, United Kingdom
"I could make out some sort of an outline and an enormous object spun into view, looming up large and uncanny out of the sky. It resembled the upper half of a large spinning top and was about the size of a gasometer. There appeared to be a dome on top, inside of which was flashing a strange blue light." View full report
Source: Dr. Bernard E. Finch, FSR Nov-Dec 1965 ID: 631
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Humming, Sound, Physiological Effects, Animal Reaction, Scientist/Engineer, Vehicle Interference
Landing of dome-shaped UFO witnessed at close range in Kettering, Tasmania
February, 1976 - Kettering, Australia
A 39 year-old man in Little Oyster Cove encountered an extraordinary dome-shaped object which had landed. Through the windows of the metallic object, he saw a tall cylindrical object (which he likened to a ship's compass mounting) and 'motionless grey shapes' (like car seats with headrests seen from the rear), perhaps entities. The object rose slowly from the ground, then increased speed and was gone. The next morning, a circular patch of scorched grass was found at the site. View full report
Source: Bill Chalker (1996) ID: 630
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Landing, Physical Trace, Witness Sketch, Humming, Portholes/Windows
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
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
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
Fisherman in Brazil watch UFO with portholes over sea
April, 1958 - Brazil
"When the machine was at a distance of some 40 metres from him and the group of fishermen, and about 15 metres above the water, it began to rock sideways, and then stopped and hung there. It seemed to have three distinguishable parts: the upper half was the colour of aluminium, like an inverted bowl, and on the top of it was a small protuberance or dome." View full report
Source: Gordon W. Creighton, FSR Vol. 10 No. 6, Nov.-Dec, 1964 ID: 624
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Water-Related, Humming, Portholes/Windows
The Willow Grove Close Encounter
February, 15, 1963 - Near Moe, Australia
Charles Brew, with his 20 year-old son Trevor, was at work in the milking shed on their farm, 'Willow Grove', when he saw a strange object appear and descend very slowly towards the milk shed, to a height of about 30 metres. The object was metallic grey, measured 8 meters in diameter, and had a transparent dome with a 2-meter mast or aerial. After hovering for a few seconds the object began climbed away into the clouds. View full report
Source: Bill Chalker (1996) ID: 623
Case Type: StandardCase Features: Animal Reaction, Witness Sketch, Physiological Effects
Large object with windows cruises by house
1982 - National Park Road, Canungra, Australia
"I saw this huge object slowly crusing towards us then past us at eye level. It was very close, about 200 meters away... The part that I could see was like the brim of hat with a row of glowing windows on top of it... It cruised past at the equivalent pace of a car going 15 to 20 kph. It's length was longer than a semi-trailer." View full report
Source: AUFORN (Australian UFO Research Network), Australia ID: 621
Case Type: RawReport Features: Witness Sketch, Portholes/Windows
Close encounter with saucer at Quakers Hill, Australia
1974 - Quakers Hill, Australia
"My sister and myself were driving... when the car suddenly shook violently then completely stopped, nothing worked, not even the radio... That's when I observed this massive circular disc shaped object, it didn't seem to be much higher than the power pole. It was surrounded completely by lights and had a dome in the middle on the top." View full report
Source: UFO Research (NSW), Australia ID: 620
Case Type: RawReport Features: Vehicle Interference, Witness Sketch
Three saucer-shaped objects with lights around middle
August, 16, 1994 - Pentacost River, Australia
"They came in quite low and then just stopped and hovered about 200 yards to my left, ovoid in shape (typical saucer shaped) with first red and then green lights travelling horizontally around the middle of the saucer. They were still there at 10.30pm that night, at one stage I felt I could almost touch them. They were completly silent and did nothing at all until they left that night." View full report
Source: UFO Research (NSW), Australia ID: 619
Case Type: RawReport Features: Witness Sketch, Multiple UFOs
