Occurred: 2001-05-12 21:45 Local
Reported: 2001-05-14 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 10 minutes
No of observers: 3

Location: Scappoose, OR, USA

Shape: Triangle
Characteristics: Lights on object, Left a trail, Changed Colo

UFO 1/10 of a mile away seen for 10 minutes in Scappoose, Oregon

I was driving northbound on Highway 30 from Portland, Oregon to Astoria, through a small town called Scappoose at approximately 9:45pm on Saturday, May 12, 2001. (There's really not all that much to describe about Scappoose other than the fact that it, like my hometown, Astoria, sits alongside the Columbia River.) Just out of town, in the sky, I noticed a very bright yellow/white light descending -- straight down and northerly. I pulled my truck off to the side of the highway so that I could get a better look at it. My first thought was that it was a meteorite and I was concerned that, because of its speed, size and direction, it was going to hit the Pacific Ocean! As it got closer, I noticed it wasn't as far away as I had originally thought, so, ever more curious, I got back on the road. Then it went behind a hill with large pine trees -- or so I thought. Assuming it was going beyond the horizon, rather than IN the trees, I figured it was just a (REALLY BIG) shooting star and the “show was over.” But as I neared the hill, I saw that it had "morphed" into an actual "ship." Bright lights -- ((colors temporarily deleted until investigation is completed)) -- began blinking within the trees and the craft rose straight up out of the trees. I pulled the car over again, in disbelief, and watched it for a few seconds. It began moving as though it were going to cross the highway, so I got back on the road after two cars drove by. The craft, wider than the 4-lane highway and approximately 10 feet above the telephone wires (50 feet up), flew directly over the cars. Both cars’ brake lights came on, but neither stopped! I sped up, and as it crossed the highway, I anxiously looked for a road to turn down. I turned east onto a small road, crossed the RR tracks and sped up, all the while keeping my eyes on the craft, which I could see through the trees. It was now heading south at approximately 20-25 miles per hour. (I want to note that these lights -- ((colors deleted)) -- were blinking very brightly and in an interesting rhythm, but there was no reflection on the actual craft. Though it was nearly invisible, the best way to describe its shape would be to say ((deleted)), based on the blinking light pattern. More importantly, I was able to make out this shape in two previous sightings several months ago in Astoria. I’m quite certain that this May 12 sighting was the same kind of craft my partner and I have witnessed {she, three times, once with photos; and myself, twice}, based on the light patterns. They’re very distinctive.) I got out of my truck and watched as the craft stopped and hovered above ((deleted)). It was approximately 1/10 mile east of me, and 50 feet up. After a few seconds, the lights ((deleted)). There was no sound or movement. Strangely aware that they knew I was watching, I became frightened, and, legs shaking, got back in the truck, where my usually very active dog was sitting quietly staring in the direction of the craft, and turned west for the highway. I drove about 20 feet, then stopped when, through my side window, simultaneously, a car pulled up behind me and the craft ((deleted)) -- lights on. I jumped out of the truck and pointed, yelling, “UFO!” The ((deleted--people))), got out of their car as well and stood staring at it as the lights became very active -- fast and bright -- and it zoomed off to the ((direction deleted)) (maybe 3 miles?). It stayed in the same location there -- far up in the sky. We were all understandably excited, yelling, “UFO!” “Can you believe this?” The man said, “I was in the ((government)) for years and that was no plane! It wasn’t a helicopter either -- I’ve never seen anything like that!” He said they had just driven past the location of the craft where I saw it hovering, but hadn’t seen it. Directly below it was, as he said, “A big herd of cattle.” Just then, with the original craft in a stationary position in the distant east sky (lights still blinking), another very bright white light appeared from the southeast and flew very fast in a northwesterly direction. I said, “Now what’s that?!” The man said, “Maybe they’ve sent a plane out to check it out.” I replied, “There isn’t a military base around here, is there?” As I said it, he yelled, “That ain’t no plane!” I turned to see it that it had stopped abruptly behind a cloud. Lights flashed and reflected in the cloud, and it shot straight up, with a trail of light behind it, and disappeared. The show was over. Without even thinking to get their names or give them mine, we got in our cars and drove off. I can only hope that they may be doing the same thing at this moment -- reporting the incident -- so that we can connect and relay more details to this amazing account. (NOTE: The ((deleted)) had very ((deleted)) ((deleted)) hair which he had ((deleted)) -- I had the most interaction with him. The woman, I think had shoulder length ((deleted)) hair. There was a little ((deleted)) inbetween them in the front seat -- about ((deleted)) years old. The car, as I remember, was a grey 1990’s ((deleted))? They left me and headed south on Highway 30, apparently to make sure the ((deleted))” was OK.)



NUFORC Note:

We spoke at length with this witness, and we found her to be an exceptionally credible witness. Her description of the incident was quite detailed, and we suspect the description above is quite accurate. Deleted passages will be restored, once an investigation is completed. We have deleted certain passages to protect the identities of the other witnesses, who are thought to be residents of this small town, and also to protect certain aspects of the sighting, so that future reports will be factual and objective, not just repeats of the original report. We deem this to be a very interesting report. PD


Posted 2001-08-05

© 2023 National UFO Reporting Center. All rights reserved. Use or reproduction within any application without written consent is prohibited.