4/14/2005: Iowa City, IA, USA

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National UFO Reporting Center Sighting Report
Occurred : 4/14/2005 11:56 Reported: 4/14/2005 6:54:10 PM 18:54 Posted: 4/16/2005 Location: Iowa City, IA Shape: Fireball Duration: 10 sec. Characteristics: The object left a trail
11.56 AM 4/14/05 LOCATION: SE of Iowa City - Iowa City Airport. Altitude perhaps 1000-1500 feet. Thin white object rapidly appears and suddently bursts into flames. Clear blue sky. I lose sight of it for about 10 seconds as I go downhill. What is left is a column of smoke that rapidly dissolves in the light wind. Smoke column appears to be cylindrical. It starts where I saw the flames first and goes downward a few hundred or thousand feet and then ends. Two passengers see smoke but only I saw the fires. It was like a giant Bic lighter flame. It was a big fire for the distance away, at least three miles. Reported to 911 Johnson County Iowa about 12:10. ((NUFORC Note: We spoke with this witness via telephone, and he sounded serious-minded and credible to us. We have encouraged him to investigate the event locally, but contacting news media, law enforcement, and taxi dispatchers, in order to find other witnesses. PD))

National UFO Reporting Center Sighting Report

Occurred : 4/14/2005 11:56
Reported: 4/14/2005 6:54:10 PM 18:54
Posted: 4/16/2005
Location: Iowa City, IA
Shape: Fireball
Duration: 10 sec.
Characteristics: The object left a trail

11.56 AM 4/14/05 LOCATION: SE of Iowa City - Iowa City Airport.

Altitude perhaps 1000-1500 feet. Thin white object rapidly appears and suddently bursts into flames. Clear blue sky. I lose sight of it for about 10 seconds as I go downhill.

What is left is a column of smoke that rapidly dissolves in the light wind. Smoke column appears to be cylindrical. It starts where I saw the flames first and goes downward a few hundred or thousand feet and then ends.

Two passengers see smoke but only I saw the fires. It was like a giant Bic lighter flame. It was a big fire for the distance away, at least three miles.

Reported to 911 Johnson County Iowa about 12:10.

((NUFORC Note: We spoke with this witness via telephone, and he sounded serious-minded and credible to us. We have encouraged him to investigate the event locally, but contacting news media, law enforcement, and taxi dispatchers, in order to find other witnesses. PD))