Case Directory
  Category 1, Distant Encounters 
 
  Preliminary Rating: 5  
                                   


A Hynek Classification of Distant Encounter is usually an incident involving an object more than 500 feet from the witness. At night it is classified as a "nocturnal light" (NL) and during the day as a "daylight disc" (DD). The size of the object or the viewing conditions may render the object in greater detail but yet not qualify the sighting as a Close Encounter which is an object within 500'. 

Object 100' Above Sea Observed By Ship MV Marcala
Aug. 4, 1950
North Atlantic

Brad Sparks:
Aug. 4, 1950. Approx. 100 miles SE of New York City, New York (BBU773)
10 a.m. (EDT). Master Nils Lewring, Chief Mate Jacob Koelwyn, and the Third Mate, of M/V Marcala saw a 10 ft elliptical half-egg or cylindrical object, with shiny aluminum or metallic white surface sparkling in sunlight, approach from the SW heading NE at 50-100 ft altitude, approaching to within 1,000 ft or 10 miles (depending on witness) at 25 to 500 mph (depending on witness), flying with a churning or rotary motion, accelerating at end of sighting. (Sparks; Berliner; Tony Rullan; NICAP website)

Fran Ridge:
This report was filed in accordance with official Navy regulations and listed as an unknown, case #773.


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