NUFORC Sighting 69238

Occurred: 2009-03-16 21:10 Local
Reported: 2009-03-16 23:12 Pacific
Duration: 15 seconds
No of observers: 2

Location: Dunlap, CA, USA

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Aircraft nearby

F-16 Chasing Light Across The Central Valley South Of Fresno Ca.

Dunlap, Ca. Overlooking the Central Valley approx. 50 miles South S.E of Fresno On a semi-regular basis we see and or hear F16s over our property returning to the 144th Air Guard base in Fresno. This evening while in our spa we again heard the sound of the F16s. This time when we looked up we saw something very strange.

At approximately 9:10 PM on Monday the 16th of March 2009 we heard an approaching aircraft. We looked up and to the east since this is the normal direction these jets take. As soon as we looked up we saw a white light moving extremely fast from the east to the west. This light was about as bright as a semi-bright star moving nearly as fast as a meteorite. There was no tail or sound coming from it at all and the light stayed constant. We could hear the jet coming w/afterburners on but by the time he was overhead the "light" was nearly out of sight to the west.

These jets normally head north towards the guard base after reaching the valley but this one headed straight across the valley as fast as he could (without breaking the sound barrier) As fast as the F16 was moving, it was nothing compared to the "light" he was apparently attempting to follow.

Over the next several minutes 5 more jets (jet 2 also had afterburners on) headed in the exact same direction as the object and first jet.

I believe if this was a meteorite or space debris the object would have been burning leaving a trail behind and would not have been traveling in perfectly straight line from east to west with no noticeable elevation change.

On clear nights we can see the city lights across the central valley to the base of the coast range, tonight was one of those nights.

Posted 2009-03-19