NUFORC Sighting 31968

Occurred: 2003-09-23 01:30 Local
Reported: 2003-10-01 00:01 Pacific
Duration: 15 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: Fort Collins, CO, USA

Shape: Triangle
Characteristics: Lights on object

Strange triangle-shaped aircraft with 7 dim lights flying low, fast, and completely silent.

I was up late and standing outside with my dog at 1:30am MDT, just enjoying the cool air and staring thoughtlessly towards the NE sky when over the tree-tops appeared 7 round, very dim pinkish-red lights in a V-shape (one light at the tip, and 3 down each side). The lights were consistent (not flashing).

At first I could barely see the strange lights which seemed to be heading almost straight towards me, but as it approached I could clearly see a large (150-200 foot wide) dark-colored triangle-shaped aircraft. I estimate it passed about 500 feet to the south of me, no more than 500 to 800 feet altitude, and traveling SW at about 700 mph (estimate based upon roughly 3 miles covered in the mere 12-15 seconds that I observed it). It did not deviate in either speed or direction. I was within (no more than) 1000 feet as it passed just south of me and yet it was TOTALLY silent.

The ONLY visible lights were the 7 mentioned above, across the front leading edges. There was none of the legally required (FAA and military) red and blue wing tip lights, nor flashing strobe lights. Both the lights AND the aircraft were easy to see looking straight at it, yet would have been just as easily missed had I not been looking right at it as it approached. I felt like this was intentional, as if to warn close conventional aircraft, but to be otherwise relatively unnoticed.

It was a dark, moonless night (moonset 5:37pm the evening before) yet at the mid-point of my viewing the dark-colored aircraft was quite distinguishable against the starlight... and against the glow of the city lights.

This aircraft was definitely not a B-2 Stealth or any traditional aircraft... TOTALLY silent... unusual shape and lights, and no aircraft that I'm aware of could possibly fly so fast, low, and yet completely SILENT.

At about 3am I called the FAA Regional Control Center in Longmont, CO, and talked with a very helpful and interested supervisor. In addition to checking their records, he checked with DIA approach (Denver International Airport) as well as Seattle Regional Control Center: There had been absolutely no military aircraft in the area all night, and no reports of anything out of the ordinary. I’m sure that this craft was flying below radar.

At the suggestion of the FAA I reported the incident to the National Institute for Discovery Sciences (9-23-03) and now the National UFO Reporting Center (10-01-03).

I have never seen anything even remotely like this before and hope to learn more about what it was. I’m not one to jump to conclusions, yet I immediately felt that the craft had to be non-terrestrial. Even if I was to disregard the "illegal" lighting, we are clearly many, many years away from producing an aircraft with characteristics such as this. This was an incredibly fantastic experience! BACKGROUND: I am a male, age 51, father of 3, and a business owner in the area since 1972. Occupation: Marketing, writing, publishing, equipment distribution. "Low-hour" single engine pilot. Non-drinker, non-drug-user, no criminal or arrest record.

POINT OF OBSERVATION: ((number deleted)) block of ((street name deleted)) Street, Fort Collins, CO. Tuesday, 9-23-03, 1:30am MDT.

Posted 2003-10-07