 Case Directory Category 1, Distant Encounters Preliminary Rating: 5 |
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| 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'. |
Flying
Disc Dives & Circles
July 29, 1952
Merced, California
July 29, 1952
Merced, California
| Brad Sparks: July 29, 1952; Merced, Calif. (BBU 1738)
3:44 or 4:35 p.m. Herbert Mitchell and employee saw
a dark, discus shaped object, trailed by a silvery
light two lengths behind, tipped on its side, dive,
hesitate then circle very fast. 2 min. (Berliner;
FUFOR Index)
Dan Wilson: July 29, 1952; Merced, Calif. (BBU 1738)
3:44 or 4:35 p.m. PDT. Mr. Herbert Mitchell and an
employee of his, Jack Bennett, spotted a perfectly
round dark object to the SE. The object was estimated
to be larger than a B-29 and was below the clouds
estimated to be at 12,000 feet. Right after they
spotted the object it tipped on edge into a steep dive
towards them, diving about two or three thousand
feet. During this dive they got a good view of
the object which Mitchell described like a discus from
the side. At the end of the dive the object did not
round out like an airplane but righted itself smoothly
and stopped momentarily before beginning a slow circle
to the left. It was at this tine that they noticed a
translucent silvery light behind the object a distance
equal to two diameters of the object itself and
apparently not connected. The object circled
slowly to the left completing the circle, then made a
second circle, and finally took off at high speed to
the NNE towards Castle AFB and also towards a large
hole in the clouds about eight miles away where blue
sky was showing. The object passed out of sight
through this hole. The object was in view for 2
minutes.
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