Category 11 Case Directory
  SIGHTINGS FROM AIRCRAFT 
 
  Preliminary Rating: 5  

                                   
     

AVCAT is a special project being conducted by NICAP, with the help and cooperation of the original compiler of AIRCAT, Dr. Richard Haines, and other sources, to create a comprehensive listing of sightings from aircraft with detailed documentation from these sources, including Projects SIGN, GRUDGE & BLUE BOOK.

Cessna Encounters Disc With Dome & Windows
Jan. 1, 1978
Santa Monica, California
12:45 a.m.
Duration 15 mins
aircraft Cessna 170A
United States
 Private
2 observers
No EMI
No radar contact

Fran Ridge:
Jan. 1, 1978; Santa Monica, California
 12:45-1:00 p.m. Two witnesses, one a pilot with 37 years flying experience, observed  a disc with dome and portholes. While flying a Cessna 170A airplane from Oxnard, California, to San Diego, the pilot at 7,500 feet altitude was following a friend ahead of him who was ferrying a new airplane to San Diego. The witness saw the object approaching at high speed. As the UFO passed about 6,000 feet to his left, he was looking down on it an angle of about 30-45 degrees, the true form suddenly became clear to him.  He was able to make out the complete form of a saucer shape or round object and could see the dome, also very vividly clear, including all the windows, about 16 to 20 evenly spaced around the circumference of the dome, located just above the base. The dome appeared to be a perfect hemisphere about 20 feet in diameter resting on the base which was about 30 feet in diameter. The UFO continued on a course of about 310 degrees (opposite to the pilot's course) with no sign of rotation, oscillation, pitch, roll, or yaw. Neither was there any sign of a propulsion system. The sun reflected off the dome as a bright spot as the UFO passed. After about a minute the object disappeared from view behind the Cessna.

<>Don Ledger:
I think his speed estimate is off. If the object passed at 650 mph (including his closing speed of about 115 mph cruise?) it would have vanished within a 15 seconds if not sooner. BTW- the C-170 is a tail-dragger and has no rear window so he would have viewed out of the pilot's left side. Not denying he saw something but caveat's re speed and duration.

Detailed reports and documents
reports/780101santamonica_report.htm (Richard Hall)

NICAP Home Page