Occurred: 2010-10-19 20:18 Local
Reported: 2010-10-23 07:40 Pacific
Duration: 12 mins
No of observers: 10

Location: Crescent City/Gasquet, CA, USA

Shape: Triangle
Characteristics: Lights on object, Changed Color, Aircraft nearby

Miltary refueling aircraft illuminated with green laser, large triangle of brights lights seen, F-15s in pursuit all in a 30 mins time

On 10/19/10, at about 2030 hrs, I was home watching TV with the sound fairly high. Several bright lights caught my attention to my right out my glass door. Looking out my sliding glass door directly adjacent to my chair, I observed a series of five (5) light in a “V” formation in the sky moving directly west of my home.

My home lies in the Smith River canyon with a ridgeline on the southern, eastern and western sides on my home. This series of lights were moving slowly from east to west. They were extremely bright and white in color. The lights disappeared in sequence as they traveled in the sky over the western ridgeline out of sight.

I had several impressions. Firstly fireworks, however there was no smoke trail, independent movement of the light nor vertical movement. Secondly, a major aircraft (possible airliner) was in the process of crashing or forced landing. I ran out to my deck overlooking that portion of the sky horizon and heard nothing. No jet aircraft noise at all. The lights I had observed were as bright and illuminating traveling away from my position as they would have been had they been landing lights traveling towards my position only brighter.

I ran upstairs to my bedroom and asked my wife if she had seen these exceptionally bright lights. She said no, but she had heard a rumble and the second floor of the home had been shaking. I considered calling the sheriff’s department (where I work), but reconsidered, as I did not want to be made fun of for crackpot questions. I did not call.

On 102010, at 0600 hrs I went to work and relieved the night shift patrol sergeant, exchanging highlights from the previous evening. I casually asked if there had been any report of lights. I was briefed on the following events.

At 1953 hrs (101910), the Del Norte Sheriff’s Office received a call from Russ Burks of the FAA in Seattle, WA. Burks stated that a U.S. Air Force refueling aircraft had been “completely” illuminated by a green laser. This occurred somewhere between Crescent City, CA and Happy Camp, CA. The aircraft was at 22,000 feet when this illumination occurred. Burks requested DNSO to respond to the Gasquet, CA area to investigate any unusual activity and possible source of the laser.

The nightshift sergeant and a trainee were already in this area for 35 to 40 minutes without seeing anything suspicious.

In the Ft. Dick area just north of Crescent City a deputy sheriff observed a series of lights that were very bright, large and believed to be some type of aircraft. This deputy is a former US Marine and insisted the lights were not flares or any type of military aircraft he had seen prior.

From 2018 hrs (101910) to 2037 hrs, multiple calls were received by DNSO dispatch through “911” regarding white/orange lights, possible flares and military jets in the area. The sergeant had dispatch re-contact FAA Seattle Center to inquire about possible military jets being in Del Norte County. The response from the FAA was that F-15s were in our County “doing their thing”. This is all they would say.

Later this same day (102010), I spoke to many of our staff about the previous evening.

One staff member had seen these lights (orange to white) while leaving an event in Smith River, CA (just south of the Oregon border). The lights were exceptionally bright. They seemed to blink off two at a time until gone from sight.

Another staff member reported seeing the refueling aircraft at a high altitude and that this aircraft was completely visible from underneath by a bright green light.

Another staff member had spoken to a local business owner (Owner operator of an air ambulance fight company). This owner stated that he and his wife had been exiting a store in Brookings, Oregon (20 miles north of Crescent City) and had seen these bright lights. He had told our staff member that he believed there was some large aircraft “on approach” to the Brookings small aircraft field. Then the lights seemed to blink out two or three at a time.

His secretary later told this owner that she had been leaving a gym in Harbor, Oregon (adjacent to Brookings) when her car had been completely illuminated from overhead by a bright white light. She had thought at the time that a streetlight may have blown up, but now suspects that it was something else.

In summary, this event was highly unusual for this area. The report of a military aircraft being illuminated at 22,000 feet by a green laser, the later appearance of tactical aircraft flying at low altitude pursuing or training pursuit, the large set of lights slowly moving east to west at low altitude.

The weather conditions this evening were clear skies, 50’s in temp and a nearly full moon in the southeastern sky.

What I observed was massive and brighter than any light I have seen on an aircraft. I did not hear any noise when I went outside seconds after it went over the ridgeline.

The military regularly uses an air corridor that is south to north directly over my home. Their altitude is always 20,000 or above. I am very familiar with that activity. What I saw that night was nothing like I have seen before.

NOTE: I am willing to speak to an investigator, but DO NOT release my name or information to ANY outside source.

There are official two official entries into the DNSO CAD (computer assisted dispatch) system.

CAD #201010190057 relates the call from FAA Seattle Center.

CAD #201010190060 relates to the “911” calls about lights seen and jets in the area.

Posted 2010-11-21

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