NUFORC Sighting 83410

Occurred: 2011-08-24 09:00 Local
Reported: 2011-08-24 19:45 Pacific
Duration: <1 minute
No of observers: 1

Location: Portland, OR, USA

Shape: Other
Characteristics: Lights on object

t-shaped,y-shaped,triangle,three lights,daytime

While driving to work today, I saw a UFO. I still can't believe it.

Around 9AM, I was headed SE on Highway 30. I was running late for work due to sleeping in and my having to stop to get gas. Before I reached the Sauvie Island bridge, I saw what looked like a plane in the sky -- white, glimmering, about the right size. This may sound unusual, but since I was a kid I've looked at planes and always waited to see their wings. This time, however, it remained sort of roundish and slowly turning, since the light reflection looked like it was changing. So I started to wonder if it was a helicopter but very high up. As it turned, it slowly got darker -- and suddenly it was gone. Since I was driving, I really couldn't scan the sky much to find it. I kind of smiled to myself that it was sort of like a UFO sighting.

As I got closer to Linnton, however, I saw the thing again! The experience was the same only it took place over about 10 seconds instead of 30 or so. Again, it started out glimmering, then "turns", goes dark, and was gone. At this point, I was curious. Did I just lose track of it before? Because I was driving slow this time, I was able to search the sky a bit. Nothing.

I got my first stop of the trip at the Kittridge intersection. I look up again and I see the darn thing a third time! This time I had a better chance to watch it while the streetlight was red. There were clearly three lights and a Y- or T-shaped frame that looked like a gray plane without its nose. The lights made me think of the classic "triangle UFO" for a moment, which I thought was pretty weird. All of a sudden, the lights on it go out one by one. At first, it seemed like it had disappeared again. But I squinted and I realized that I could see it flying away SE -- a little more East than I'm facing. It was fading away into the sky's haze and moving very fast. I'd say fast like a jet, but the horizon haze gave me the impression it was higher and faster than jets I've watched. I eventually lost sight of it in the distance. The light turned green and I didn't see it again.

I hadn't thought to take out my iPhone to snap a picture. Each time I saw it, it was a surprise. And obviously I couldn't take a photo while driving. Nonetheless, I saw it clearly and my head is spinning a little bit thinking about what it was!

Posted 2011-10-10