NUFORC Sighting 135536

Occurred: 2017-07-17 19:00 Local
Reported: 2017-08-03 18:34 Pacific
Duration: 20 seconds
No of observers: 2

Location: Eugene, OR, USA

Shape: Other

My wife and I saw what appeared to be a commercial jetliner hovering over a field in Eugene, Oregon.

On July 17, 2017, at approximately 7:00 PM Pacific Time, my wife and I were driving South on Lorane Hwy in Eugene, OR. As we passed the Andrew Reasoner Wildlife Preserve, we observed to the North what appeared to be a commercial jetliner hovering over the hill, approximately one quarter mile from our position on the road, and maybe 500 feet off the ground. My wife noticed it first and exclaimed, “Look at that. That’s not moving at all.” My wife was convinced it was tethered to the ground, like a dirigible.

As the driver, I was initially focused on the road, but was able to turn my head left and see the plane for about 15 seconds and it did not appear to be moving. I tried to convince myself that it was, just flying very slowly, but I saw nothing to indicate it was changing position.

The plane was extremely low; from our vantage point, we could almost see the tops of the wing surface and we could easily see the color scheme on the side of the plane (a flash of orange writing on a white fuselage). Considering the Eugene airport is miles away to the North, and the plane was traveling, or hanging, East to West, I find no rational explanation as to why a giant commercial jetliner would be frozen, or possibly moving at a speed slower than our car.

Although I’m relaying this as if we cognized everything immediately, it wasn’t until we rounded the next corner and the “plane” left our sight that we realized how incredibly odd what we had just witnessed was.

We immediately turned the car around and were back where we first saw the plane in less than 30 seconds. It was gone and although we had a clear view all the way to the horizon--West, North and South--we could find no trace of the “plane” in our view.

We couldn’t see clearly to the East, but it would have been impossible for the plane to head in that direction from the position it was in when it left our view and no chance we wouldn’t have seen it if it was even possible for it to instantaneously turn around.

Considering the proximity of the “plane” to our car, we should have heard the sounds of the plane's engines, but there was only the noise of our tires on the road. The plane made no sound and didn’t show any exhaust gases.

We both are well- familiar with the area and have never seen a commercial airliner flying so low, let alone at walking speed, if not completely frozen. It was one of the oddest things either one of us has ever experienced.

Posted 2017-08-04