NUFORC Sighting 28758

Occurred: 1956-03-20 20:00 Local
Reported: 2003-05-12 16:34 Pacific
Duration: 15 min.
No of observers: 3

Location: Bowie, MD, USA

Shape: Disk
Characteristics: Lights on object, Changed Color, Aircraft nearby, Landed

Unusual object seen from different viewpoints.

While piloting a B-25 out of Andrews AFB, I was Northbound over Bowie at 8000 feet. It was a dark, clear night. Looking almost straight down at the city lights, I saw a circular object on or near the ground, unmoving. It seemed to be internally illuminated with segments of red, yellow and green light which were spinning slowly clockwise. I estimated its size as about forty feet. As I watched, it suddenly turned bright white and simultaneously shot off to the North at a speed of around 600 knots. In a few seconds it was miles ahead of my aircraft and climbing through my altitude. I pointed it out to my copilot and we watched as it arced out over the sea and disappeared in the distance at a great height. The total time of the sighting was maybe twelve seconds. I continued North to Baltimore and made a left-hand circle around the city, then headed back to the South. As the city lights were falling behind, my copilot slapped my arm and said, "Did you see that?" I hadn't seen anything. He said a white light had dived past our right wing very closely at high speed. We looked around but saw nothing.

A few minutes later the radio came alive with chatter about a plane crash near Bowie. We heard no more that night. The next morning I went back to the base to file a report, as we were required to in those days. No one ever contacted me about the report. Then I read an item in that day's Washington Post about a false report of a crash. I quote it here: FAKE REPORT STIRS AIR CRASH HUNT A false report of a plane down near Bowie, Md. led more than 500 police, fire and military authorites on a two-hour search last night. Minutes after the report, 28 state police cruisers, an additional 11 Park Police units and dozens of fire and rescue squads from eight counties joined in the search. The report originated with a caretaker at the Womens' Reformatory at Jessup. State Police said that military units on night maneuvers had probably shot off flares, leading to the report, state police said.

NUFORC Note:

Date may be precise, given that it may be from an U. S. military flight log book. We have met the individual who submitted this report, and we deem him to be an exceptionally credible witness. He is a former fighter (F-86) and bomber (B-25) pilot, and a former military officer, who was assigned to the Pentagon. Our impression is that it would be extremely difficult to find a more reliable, credible, and convincing witness. This is one of several sightings the same individual has had, and those reports will appear in our database, as well, at a later date. PD

Posted 2003-05-13