Sightings.
- GO
Go Fast UAP Encounter
The Go Fast video, released by the Pentagon in 2020, shows a small spherical object tracked by a US Navy ATFLIR pod traveling at high speed at low altitude over the ocean. Analysis found the object's calculated velocity and altitude inconsistent with known aerial vehicles at that size.
- GIMBAL
Gimbal UAP Encounter
US Navy F/A-18s operating off the East Coast tracked and filmed an anomalous aerial vehicle in January 2015. Released by the Pentagon in 2020. The object rotates against its direction of travel with no obvious mechanism. Officially unidentified.
- AGUADILLA
Aguadilla
CBP DHC-8 thermal camera captured an object over Rafael Hernandez Airport, splitting in two over the ocean.
- STEPHENVILLE
Stephenville
Multiple-witness daylight encounter in Erath County, Texas. FAA radar data, obtained via FOIA by MUFON investigator Glen Schulze, confirmed an unidentified track in restricted airspace near President George W. Bush's Crawford ranch.
- STEPHENVILLE
Stephenville Lights
Multiple witnesses in Stephenville, Texas, reported a large silent object with bright lights at speeds estimated between 2,000 and 3,000 mph. F-16s were reported pursuing it. The Air Force denied the F-16s were flying that night, then reversed the denial the following week.
- O
O'Hare International Airport
Twelve United Airlines employees reported a metallic disc hovering over Gate C-17 at O'Hare International Airport before accelerating straight up through the cloud layer. The FAA initially denied the report; it was reclassified after John Hilkevitch reporting in the Chicago Tribune.
- OHARE
O'Hare International Airport UFO
Twelve United Airlines employees observed a metallic grey disc hovering over gate C-17 at O'Hare for approximately five minutes before accelerating vertically, punching a circular hole in the cloud cover, and vanishing. The FAA declined to investigate.
- USS
USS Nimitz Tic-Tac
AN/SPY-1 detected anomalous tracks descending from 28,000 m to 6,000 m. F/A-18F crews subsequently visually acquired a 12 m oblong object.
- CHICAGO
Tinley Park lights
Triangular formation of red lights repeatedly observed over Tinley Park, Illinois on three nights in 2004. Footage was widely shared online. Investigators from the Illinois MUFON chapter recorded over 200 witness reports.
- TEHERAN
Iran 2004 Tabriz incident
Iranian Air Force tracked an unidentified luminous object near Tabriz over multiple nights. The Tehran Times reported the events; Iran subsequently claimed to have shot down a foreign reconnaissance UAV.
- PHOENIX
Phoenix Lights
V-shaped formation of lights observed by thousands across Arizona. Acknowledged by Governor Symington two decades later.
- RUWA
Ruwa School Encounter
On September 16, 1994, 62 children at the Ariel School in Ruwa, Zimbabwe, witnessed a disc-shaped craft land on the schoolground during morning break. Most reported small figures who communicated images of ecological destruction telepathically. Harvard psychiatrist John Mack interviewed the children and found their accounts credible and consistent.
- ARIEL
Ariel School
Sixty-two children aged six to twelve at Ariel School described seeing a craft and beings with large dark eyes during morning recess. Interviewed days later by Harvard psychiatrist John E. Mack.
- BUCHAREST
Romanian MiG-21 incident
Romanian Air Force MiG-21 pilot Captain Dorin Prunariu engaged a hovering metallic object over the Black Sea coast. Onboard radar tracking and multiple ground stations confirmed the object.
- BELGIAN
Belgian Wave
Multi-month period of triangular UAP sightings across Belgium. F-16 radar lock confirmed by the Royal Belgian Air Force.
- JAL
JAL 1628
Japan Air Lines Flight 1628, a Boeing 747 cargo flight from Reykjavik to Tokyo, encountered three unidentified objects over eastern Alaska. Captain Kenju Terauchi reported visual contact and ground radar confirmed anomalous returns.
- WESTCHESTER
Westchester triangle wave
Estimated 7,000 reports of a slow-moving triangular craft across Westchester and Putnam counties from 1982 to 1986. Investigation led by J. Allen Hynek, Philip Imbrogno, and Bob Pratt.
- HUDSON
Hudson Valley wave
Estimated 5,000 sightings of a large boomerang or V-shaped craft across the Hudson Valley between 1982 and 1986. J. Allen Hynek and Philip Imbrogno investigated and published Night Siege in 1987.
- HESSDALEN
Hessdalen lights
Recurring luminous phenomena observed in the Hessdalen valley since 1981. The Hessdalen Automatic Measurement Station (Project Hessdalen) operates ongoing instrumented observation. Statistically significant magnetic and optical anomalies have been recorded.
- TRANS
Trans-en-Provence Landing
A single witness in southeastern France observed a disc-shaped object land in his garden and depart. The French government scientific body GEPAN investigated and found physical evidence — soil compaction, elevated temperatures, and unusual biochemical alteration of surrounding vegetation — consistent with the witness account.
- CASH
Cash-Landrum incident
Betty Cash, Vickie Landrum, and her grandson Colby observed a diamond-shaped object accompanied by twin-rotor military helicopters near Dayton, Texas. All three suffered burns and radiation-like illness consistent with their proximity to the object.
- RENDLESHAM
Rendlesham Forest
Three USAF servicemen reported a close encounter near RAF Bentwaters. Multiple radar hits.
- ROBERT
Livingston Forest Robert Taylor
Forester Robert Taylor was found unconscious in Dechmont Wood. His clothing was torn and ground impressions were recorded by Lothian and Borders Police. The case remains the only UFO incident registered as an assault by a UK police force.
- VALENTICH
Frederick Valentich disappearance
Twenty-year-old pilot Frederick Valentich disappeared while flying a Cessna 182L over Bass Strait. Final radio communications described an unidentified aircraft above his plane. No wreckage was ever recovered.
- PETROZAVODSK
Petrozavodsk phenomenon
Jellyfish-shaped luminous object observed across northwestern Soviet Union and Finland. Likely connected to the Soviet Kosmos 955 launch but officially attributed by some Soviet press to UFO activity.
- IRAN
Tehran F-4 incident
Imperial Iranian Air Force F-4 Phantom intercepted a brilliant object that disabled aircraft electronics and weapons systems on approach. DIA cable on the incident was distributed to the White House, NSA, CIA, and JCS.
- TEHRAN
Tehran F-4 Incident
Imperial Iranian Air Force F-4 Phantoms twice lost instrument and communications function while pursuing a UAP over Tehran in September 1976. A second object separated and approached one aircraft. The pilot's weapons panel failed before he could fire. A DIA report rated it a case of outstanding reporting value.
- TRAVIS
Travis Walton abduction claim
Logger Travis Walton reportedly disappeared after approaching a hovering object in the Sitgreaves National Forest, returning five days later. The other six members of the logging crew passed polygraph tests describing the event.
- COYNE
Coyne helicopter encounter
United States Army Reserve UH-1H Huey crew commanded by Captain Lawrence Coyne reported a near collision with a cigar-shaped object. Multiple ground witnesses corroborated the encounter.
- PASCAGOULA
Pascagoula abduction claim
Charles Hickson and Calvin Parker reported being taken aboard an oblong craft while fishing on the Pascagoula River. They reported the encounter to Sheriff Fred Diamond, who reportedly recorded a private conversation between the two when alone.
- SHAG
Shag Harbour incident
Witnesses reported an object descending into the waters of Shag Harbour, Nova Scotia. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Royal Canadian Navy, and Canadian Coast Guard conducted a multi-day search and recovery. Government file is publicly available.
- FALCON
Falcon Lake
Industrial mechanic Stefan Michalak approached a landed metallic disc in Whiteshell Provincial Park. He was struck by hot exhaust through a grid pattern that left a permanent burn mark on his chest. Royal Canadian Air Force investigation file is publicly archived.
- MALMSTROM
Malmstrom missile shutdown
Multiple Minuteman I missile launch facilities at Malmstrom AFB went offline simultaneously during reports of a glowing object overhead. Launch officer Captain Robert Salas testified to the events at the 2010 National Press Club briefing.
- WESTALL
Westall
More than 200 staff and students at Westall High School and Westall State School observed a metallic disc descend behind trees. Often called Australia's most credible mass UFO sighting.
- KECKSBURG
Kecksburg Acorn
Acorn-shaped object reportedly recovered by US military. Witnesses describe a black flatbed truck departing the area under guard.
- EXETER
Incident at Exeter
Hitchhiker Norman Muscarello and Exeter police officers Eugene Bertrand and David Hunt observed a large illuminated object at low altitude over a farm. Investigated by John G. Fuller for his 1966 book of the same name.
- SOCORRO
Socorro Lonnie Zamora encounter
New Mexico State Police officer Lonnie Zamora witnessed a landed egg-shaped craft and two small humanoid figures while chasing a speeding car. Physical traces were photographed at the landing site. Project Blue Book labeled the case Unidentified.
- HILL
Betty and Barney Hill
New Hampshire couple Betty and Barney Hill reported a close encounter and missing time on Route 3 north of Lancaster. Subsequent regression hypnosis with Dr. Benjamin Simon produced detailed claims later popularized as the Zeta Reticuli incident.
- FATHER
Father Gill sighting
Anglican missionary William Gill and 37 other witnesses at Boianai mission, Papua New Guinea, observed a large illuminated craft and figures on its upper deck on consecutive evenings. Witnesses reported waving and being waved back at.
- TRINDADE
Trindade Island photographs
Brazilian Navy photographer Almiro Barauna captured four photographs of a Saturn-shaped object during a hydrographic survey aboard the NEH Almirante Saldanha. Released by the Brazilian Navy with President Juscelino Kubitschek's authorization.
- LEVELLAND
Levelland incident
Multiple drivers near Levelland reported a glowing egg-shaped object that caused their vehicle engines and headlights to fail. Sheriff Weir Clem and a state highway patrol officer were among the witnesses.
- KELLY
Kelly-Hopkinsville encounter
The Sutton family farmhouse near Hopkinsville reported a four-hour siege by small silver-skinned beings. Police were called and observed unusual lights but no creatures.
- FLATWOODS
Flatwoods monster
Group of West Virginia residents including Mrs. Kathleen May and several children reported a tall pulsating figure near the crash site of a meteor over Flatwoods.
- WASHINGTON
Washington DC flap
Two consecutive weekends of radar contacts over Washington National Airport and Andrews Air Force Base. F-94 jets were scrambled but could not maintain contact. Press conference by Major General John Samford on 29 July 1952 was the largest USAF press conference since World War II.
- WASHINGTON
Washington D.C. UFO Flap
Radar operators at Washington National Airport and Andrews AFB tracked multiple unidentified objects over restricted airspace above the US Capitol. F-94 interceptors scrambled. Objects eluded pursuit. The event repeated two consecutive weekends and produced the largest Pentagon press conference since WWII.
- LUBBOCK
Lubbock Lights
V-shaped formation of lights observed by three Texas Tech professors and photographed by Carl Hart Jr. The Air Force initially attributed the lights to migrating birds, an explanation researchers have disputed.
- MCMINNVILLE
McMinnville
Two photographs of a disc-like object taken by Paul Trent. Subsequent shadow analysis indicated probable hoax.
- CHILES
Chiles-Whitted encounter
Eastern Air Lines DC-3 captains Clarence S. Chiles and John B. Whitted reported a near collision with a cigar-shaped object emitting blue glow. Project Sign's Estimate of the Situation cited the case as evidence for the extraterrestrial hypothesis.
- MANTELL
Mantell incident
Captain Thomas Mantell of the Kentucky Air National Guard pursued an unidentified aerial object in his F-51 Mustang and crashed at high altitude. The Air Force later attributed the object to a Skyhook research balloon.
- ROSWELL
Roswell incident
Recovery of debris on a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico. Initial USAAF press release described it as a flying disc, retracted within hours and reattributed to a weather balloon. Project Mogul was disclosed in 1994 as the actual program responsible.
- MAURY
Maury Island incident
Harold Dahl claimed to recover slag from a damaged disc in Puget Sound. The case was investigated and ultimately characterized as a hoax by Air Force investigators after the death of two officers in a B-25 crash carrying alleged samples.
- FOO
Foo fighters
Allied aircrews on World War II missions across Europe and the Pacific reported small luminous spheres pacing aircraft. Documented in 415th Night Fighter Squadron diaries and post-war Office of Strategic Services memoranda.
- BATTLE
Battle of Los Angeles
United States Army anti-aircraft batteries fired 1,440 rounds at unidentified objects over Los Angeles during a wartime alert. No aircraft were downed. Press attributed the event variously to weather balloons, war nerves, and unidentified craft.