NUFORC Sighting 42799

Occurred: 2005-03-07 19:35 Local
Reported: 2005-03-07 23:17 Pacific
Duration: 3 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: Seatac, WA, USA

Shape: Rectangle
Characteristics: Lights on object, Aircraft nearby

Rectangular shaped lighted object streaks west high across Seattle airport from horizon to horizon in 3 seconds

Location Seattle-Tacoma Intl. Airport (SEA)- At approx. 1935 the sky conditions over SEA were dark/ clear, with some haze from light pollution on the east and west horizons.

I was facing south and noticed a high-altitude aircraft passing southbound directly over the SEA VOR (Nav. Aid located on the SEA airfield) the aircraft appeared to be a small / corporate or military plane with a red beacon traveling at a typical jet speed at approx. 40,000 - 45,000 ft..

When the aircraft was at approx. 80 degrees up / to the south of the airport / VOR, I noticed one movement of light coming from approx. 080 degrees mag. / ESE, at first I thought it was a meteor, as the light came into focus from haze on the east horizon at approx. 85 degrees up and south of the airport I could make out a rectangular shape of considerable size with 3 to 4 white lights in parallel at an altitude way higher than the small jet aircraft. It crossed my entire field of view from initial spotting of the movement of light ESE, overhead and to the 260 degrees mag. / WNW hazy horizon in 3 seconds.

The rectangular series of lights did not trail any type of light or streak like a meteor, no sound / sonic boom, it was distinctly high in altitude, but not of the movement of typical faint star type light of a satellite passing over. I checked the Intl. Space Station orbit for 3/7/05 for Seattle, and it was to pass at approx. 1905 12 degrees on the horizon for 2 minutes. The sunset here in Seattle was approx. 1820 ?, being that the object was distinctly observable high overhead may have been due to the angle of the sun over the horizon shining on it.

My background includes approx. 17 years of operational work in aviation. USAF, Boeing, Airport Ops. etc., and I also hold CFI / Comm. / Inst. pilot cert. / ratings. I have never seen anything move that fast that didn't look like a meteor streaking through the sky!



NUFORC Note:

We spoke with this witness, and he sounded to us to be exceptionally credible and objective in his description of the event. PD


Posted 2005-05-11

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