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 With Falling Leaf Motions Over Airfield
Feb. 8, 1953
Barter Island, Alaska


Brad Sparks:
Feb. 8, 1953; Barter Island, Alaska (BBU)
4:50 a.m. (AHST). Military pilot [and another witness?] working at airstrip heard a deep heavy sound and saw brilliant round white object with small ray-like appendages descending in a falling-leaf motion but without the upward swings, then hovered, moved about 50 ft against the wind to original position, after 45 secs began to climb using reverse falling-leaf maneuver, picked up speed changing color to orange tint. (Hynek-CUFOS re-eval; Jan Aldrich; FUFOR Index)

Dan Wilson:
Feb. 8, 1953; Barter Island, Alaska (BBU)
4:50 a.m. local time. Captain R. E. Barnes was thawing and heating a C-47 at Barter Island air strip when he heard a noise that seemed to be out of synchronization with the Herman Nelson heaters running nearby. He ducked out of the wheel well and walked over to the heaters located in front of the left main gear. He immediately realized that the noise was emanating from a large, round, bright object which was descending over the building area about 3/4 of a mile away. This object appeared to be at approximately 5,000 feet in altitude and descending in a sort of falling leaf pattern. Captain Barnes estimated the distance covered by the side to side movements at about 200 feet. Approximately 45 seconds later the object had reached an estimated 2000 feet directly over the building area. The object was described as round in shape and brilliant white in color and approximately 30-40 feet in diameter. Small ray-like appendages appeared on either lower side. After hovering for approximately 45 seconds, the object began an ascent using the same pattern as it did for the descent. During the climb out, 1st Lt. Lewis E. Griffin arrived at the aircraft and Capt. Barnes pointed out the object for Lt. Griffin. a rated pilot. At this time the object was directly overhead at an estimated altitude of 10,000 to 15,000 feet. The two witnesses continued to watch the object for two more minutes as it traveled to the east blinking as it went. Capt. Barnes is an F-94 jet pilot with 1470 hours of flying time.

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