NUFORC Sighting 114750

Occurred: 2014-10-24 19:15 Local
Reported: 2014-10-26 20:09 Pacific
Duration: 2 minutes
No of observers: 2

Location: Danville, VA, USA

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Lights on object, Aircraft nearby

White light descends quickly ~10nm away from aircraft, both pilots spot it

I am a student pilot who, on the 24th, just after sunset, took off from KDAN (Danville Regional Airport) in Danville. VA, with my instructor, and flew southeast, possibly towards the town of Milton, for ten or so minutes. Aircraft flown was a PA28-181 Archer III under VFR.

We continued flight for about a minute after leveling off at around 3500 feet MSL. Off the front of the aircraft, possibly around ten or so miles out, both my instructor and I saw what appeared to be a white light descending quickly (~1000' per second) for a period of about two seconds. It appeared to be transitioning through the same altitude as our aircraft.

After two seconds had passed, it flared out as would ash from a cigarette falling to the floor. The skies were dark at the time so it was easy to see. It was not clear if it had flared out before making contact with the ground, or if it had disappeared into the trees. It may have either fallen somewhere in North Carolina, or on the NC/VA border.

As for the light itself, it appeared to be a pure white color, nonchanging. From what I could tell, it didn't appear to be completely circular - I have vision corrected to 20/20 with glasses, but my eyes could have been playing tricks on me when it came to the shape of the object, due to flaws in observation or due to the fact that it was a ways out.

My instructor called it "round."

Posted 2014-11-06

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