1973: Domed Disc Near Airliner, Confirmed By Radar.

THINK ABOUTIT UFO SIGHTINGS REPORT

Date: February 14, 1973

Time: 0230A

Location: McAlester, Oklahoma

Hynek Classification: CE-III (Close Encounter III) Close observation with animate beings associated with the object.

Duration:

Shape of Object(s): Disc

Number of Witnesses: Pilot/Co-Pilot/Air-Crew

Source: Richard Hall, Volume II, The UFO Evidence, A Thirty-Year Report, Richard Hall, (2001), page 131 / UFO Casebook Source

Summary: 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

Full Report

An airline DC-8 cargo flight was en route from St. Louis to Dallas on February 14, 1973, at about 2:30 a.m. At a point near McAlester, Oklahoma, the copilot noticed what he first thought was another aircraft just below the leading edge of the right wing about 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) away. The object was on the same course and speed, keeping a constant position. Only its steady amber light seemed unconventional.

Suddenly the object rose straight up like an elevator, made a sharp turn and approached the plane, taking up a position about 300 yards (270 meters) away and slightly above them. It was disc-shaped with a transparent dome on top, its silvery, highly polished surface reflecting the moonlight. Besides some stubby protrusions no other features were visible.

The captain switched on the weather radar and it confirmed that something real and solid was there. When the radar beam hit its surface, the object reacted immediately, ascending straight up, then moving sideways over the DC-8 and briefly out of sight. The object reappeared quickly, descending straight down and taking up a new position just below the leading edge of their left wing. It then dropped below and behind the plane, abruptly reappearing only about 300 feet (90 meters) below them.

Looking down into the dimly lit dome, the pilots saw two or three shadowy entities moving around. The object then darted out in front, performed various oscillatory motions and another sharp (noninertial) turn before speeding out of sight. It disappeared off the radar scope at a distance of 50 miles (80 km).16