Although we find an interesting lack of filed reports for the rest of the year, possibly due to all the attention given to the Phoenix Lights, the NUFORC had logged 1,299 reports for 1997. Our thanks to A-Team member, Peter Davenport, who runs the Center, for this information that debunks any notion that UFO activity was actually down, and for providing the workable chart of incident reports phoned in for the night of the Phoenix Lights. The case directory lists the primary event and all the articles and papers presented by our colleagues over the years. (See entry above the chart for March 13).

Jan. 14, 1997; Bloemfontein, South Africa

8:30 AM. Several watched a gray spherical object with red and yellow flashing lights descend low over their heads nearly knocking them down. It had many lighted windows and inside one of them a gray face with large dark eyes could be seen staring down at the witnesses. The craft apparently then left the area. (Source: UFO Sightings in New Mexico & the World Type: A )

Jan. 21, 1997; Camuy, Puerto Rico

1:30 AM. Juan Hernandez was driving his car near town when he saw a bright star-like object suddenly descend over the area. He stopped his car near a local bridge in order to obtain a better view of the object. The bright blue light approached his position changing into a turquoise tint. The witness then saw a ship behind the lights. He described it as a huge triangular shaped craft, with a transparent cupola on top. Inside the cupola he could see a tall humanoid figure looking down on him. The figure appeared thin, with a large bulb-shaped head; he also noticed that it had large dark eyes. While looking at the craft a bright beam of light suddenly illuminated him. At that moment he felt a great sense of peace. The craft was silent and it had blinking multi-colored lights. The craft then began to move slowly away. He got inside his vehicle and attempted to follow the object, but his path was blocked by what appeared to be a military vehicle. Several men wearing black military outfits warned him not to follow the object or something might "happen" to him. The craft was soon lost from sight, and the men & military vehicle left the area.( Source: Jorge Martin, Evidencia OVNI # 13)

Close encounter with a an unidentified craft and its occupants. An unidentified object at close range and its occupants were observed by four witnesses. (No other information found, ufodna.com)

Date / Time	City	State	Shape	Duration	Summary
3/13/1997	Douglas	AZ	Triangle	30'+	Triangle Craft seen over Phoenix Az was seen first over Douglas Az flying North. ((NUFORC Note: Date unknown. PD))
3/13/1997	Phoenix	AZ	Other	couple minutes	The phoenix lights
3/13/1997 18:00	Prescott	AZ	Formation	3 mins. approx.	These were individual craft flying in a distinct formation-- absolutely not flares.
3/13/1997 18:40	Phoenix	AZ	Chevron	15 min	A huge triangular object slowly drifting over Phoenix, AZ, 5 lights traveling probably less than 30 mph.
3/13/1997 19:00	Scottsdale	AZ	Triangle	30 min	I hope it's ours ! If not, it's definately 'someone else's'... (and FOR SURE, it's not of human origin) !
3/13/1997 19:00	Phoenix	AZ	Triangle		I saw both of these events in Phoenix while my family and I were driving home. The first event was the triangular formation. I saw no
3/13/1997 19:45	Gila Bend (20 miles east of, on I-8)	AZ	Light	20 mins	2 large, bright orange/pinkish lights seen south of I-8 over the desert. Went from 2 to 3 to 4 lights. Small bright objects quickly le
3/13/1997 19:45	Stanfield	AZ	Triangle	10 min	3/13/97 7:45p.m.
3/13/1997 20:00	Phoenix	AZ	Triangle	20-30 min	V shaped object that flew from the north of phoenix and eventually right over phoenix 3/13/97
3/13/1997 20:00	Phoenix	AZ	Chevron	5 min. approx.	An object, consisting of 5 lights, in the shape of an arrow, flew right over my house.
3/13/1997 20:00	Phoenix	AZ	Circle	10 minutes	From North to South over Camelback mountain High in the Arizona sky Hundreds of citizens see a phenomena of lights Soundlessly, slowly
3/13/1997 20:00	Phoenix	AZ	Chevron	10 minutes	"V" shaped black object with 5 lights, passed directlyover our house in Phoenix and didn't make a sound. It's shapewas that of a carpen
3/13/1997 20:00	Phoenix	AZ	Other	5 minuets	a "Flying wing" which fley over my card as i was on I10 heading west
3/13/1997 20:00	Phoenix	AZ	Triangle	BRIEF	LOOKED LIKE A FORMATION OF PLANES WITH THERE LANDING LIGHTS ON ONLY THERE WAS NO ENGINE NOISE FOLLOWING
3/13/1997 20:00	East Mesa /Apache Junction.	AZ	Light	1 to 2 min	I came home after work at about 9pm 3/13/997. My children, ages, 7,8,& 11, had been in the backyard all evening. When I arrived, they
3/13/1997 20:00	Glendale	AZ	Diamond	5 minutes	I had gone to visit with a friend at about 30 ave. and just north of northern, I arrived at his home and noticed his car was gone, he h
3/13/1997 20:00	Kingman	AZ	Formation	6 Minutes	5 BRIGHT orange lights flying in a V formation
3/13/1997 20:00	Phoenix	AZ	Triangle	5 minutes	UFO over Phoenix 1997
3/13/1997 20:05	Phoenix	AZ		several minutes	early evening time object the size of 2 or three junbo jets could see lights invisible no sound moved incredibly slow like a zepplin ba
3/13/1997 20:10	Tempe	AZ	Other	5-10min	Phoenix Lights
3/13/1997 20:12	Prescott	AZ	Formation	5 min	v formation white lights to start with at long range as it got closer looking through binoculars each light was actually 2 one red one
3/13/1997 20:15	Scottsdale	AZ	Triangle	5 min	Myself, my 12 yr old son and his friend watched a large triangular shape craft with colored lights (red mostly) in chevron design glide
3/13/1997 20:15	Black Canyon City (5 miles N of)	AZ	Chevron	appx. 2 minutes	Phoenix Lights on I-17 near Sunset Point Rest Area
3/13/1997 20:15	Prescott	AZ	Formation	10 min	Observed five yellow-white lights travelling from NW to NE then turning to S
3/13/1997 20:15	Phoenix	AZ	Light	10 min	Airline pilot views Phoenix lights from Interstate 10, while driving to work.
3/13/1997 20:15	Phoenix (Ahwatukee)	AZ	Triangle	10 min	Sighted red to white horizontal line on the north west horizon. As the object got closer it looked like a 5 light triangle. It passed o
3/13/1997 20:15	Phoenix (Tempe)	AZ	Light	7 min.	5 orange colored lights fall toward earth like fireworks. Shortly after they hovered in place, pulsating and began moving at odd traje
3/13/1997 20:15	Prescott	AZ	Formation	5 Minutes +	Chevron formation of five white lights, plus other strange things.
3/13/1997 20:20	Phoenix	AZ	Other	2 sec	Phx Lights orb
3/13/1997 20:20	Phoenix	AZ		10 sec	Phx Lights orb
3/13/1997 20:20	Phoenix	AZ	Triangle	apx 4-8 min	v of lights over phoenix az.
3/13/1997 20:20	Northwest Tempe	AZ	Formation	15 minutes	We saw 5 red lights, in a V formation, from the north to the south, in a fifteen minute period.
3/13/1997 20:25	Buckeye	AZ	Sphere	5 MINUTES	Observed a number (3 - 5) of white/yellow lights hovering (suspended) approximately 7 - 10 miles away. Observed streaking object leavi
3/13/1997 20:25	Glendale	AZ			In response to this story: http://www.nuforc.org/CB970313.html Yes, there are F-15s stationed at Luke AFB. My father works for Boeing
3/13/1997 20:30	Tempe	AZ	Formation	5 minutes	I was in tempe with a bunch of my friends when we saw a group of about 5-7 lights in the sky. They seemed to stay in the same place. Th
3/13/1997 20:30	Goodyear	AZ	Unknown	5 minutes	The object sat a while in a field next to us, then slowly floated right over us until it disappeared.
3/13/1997 20:30	Chandler (app. 20 miles E/SE of Phoenix)	AZ	Triangle	1.5 min	My wife and I witnessed a craft passing in front uf us that was close to a mile long.This boomerang/trianglar craft became "transluct"
3/13/1997 20:30	Chino Valley	AZ	Formation	3 to 5 Minutes	Observed 5 white lights approaching from thenorthwest at what appeared to be a low levelbut rising as they approached. 3 lights infron
3/13/1997 20:30	Phoenix	AZ	Chevron	20 minutes	Witnessed the object travel south along Interstate 10 toward Casa Grande
3/13/1997 20:30	Phoenix	AZ	Triangle	3-4 minutes	Phoenix UFO sighting March 13, 1997
3/13/1997 20:30	Phoenix	AZ	Formation	5 min +	4 orange lights at about 30' elevation looking to the North/North-East. Appeared in a wide trapazoid formation. Very slow moving.
3/13/1997 20:30	Gila Bend (G.B.AUXILLARY FIELD, )	AZ	Chevron	20 MINS.	At approx. 2015 hrs.flares dropped were close enough that I could see the white smoke as each burned, but the parachutes were not visib
3/13/1997 20:30	Phoenix	AZ		hour	Phoenix lights were were explained on the Art Bell website by Ed Dames (Dr Doom) many years ago. I would email my copy but it was saved
3/13/1997 20:30	Chandler	AZ	Unknown	3-10mins	i was driving north on I-10 from gila river indian community.
					i got on the ramp i-10 north..at queen creek rd.around 8pm or before
3/13/1997 20:30	Tempe	AZ	Light	20 min	Nothing WE have, could have done what we all saw that night.
3/13/1997 20:30	Phoenix	AZ	Triangle	3 min.	Another report on the Phoenix lights, but every prospective is important to get the whole picture and or map the object as it decended
3/13/1997 20:40	Phoenix	AZ	Formation	4 minutes	I saw seven UFOs apppear in formation then disappear.
3/13/1997 20:40	Mesa (at Mesa Community College)	AZ	Triangle	2-3 MINUTES	LARGE TRIANGULAR OBJECT WITH 5 DIM AMBER LIGHTS (ONE IN EACH CORNER AND 2 MORE NEAR FRONT) MOVED SLOWLY NW TO S-SW WITH NO NOISE.
3/13/1997 20:45	Phoenix	AZ	Triangle	3 minutes	Unexplained Arizona Sighting
3/13/1997 21:00	Phoenix	AZ	Diamond	2 to 5 minutes	I witnessed th "Phoenix Lights" the evening of March 13th 1997 from a distance of one to two miles.
3/13/1997 21:00	Phoenix	AZ	Diamond	2 to 5 minutes	I witnessed th "Phoenix Lights" the evening of March 13th 1997 from a distance of one to two miles.
3/13/1997 21:00	Phoenix (north of)	AZ	Chevron	30	Five V-shaped lights heading south on I-17 toward Phoenix
3/13/1997 21:00	Phoenix	AZ			me,my uncle,my friend,and my dad were outside(in our backyard)when we saw 5 or 6 brightly lighted lights in the sky(about a mile long o
3/13/1997 21:00	Phoenix	AZ	Triangle	4 minutes	My wife and I were walking our dogs on the south side of South Mountain in the mountain park when we saw the ufo come over the mountain
3/13/1997 21:00	Prescott	AZ	Formation	30 seconds	Saw 5 bright lights in triangle formation in the northand heading southeast at an extremely fast speed.
3/13/1997 21:00	Phoenix	AZ	Other		A spaceship flys through the sky in a V shape.
3/13/1997 21:15	Phoenix	AZ	Rectangle	approx. 10 min.	03/15/1997, 21:15 Phoenix, Arizona 20 rectangular objects in "V" formation, performed circular spin, etc.
3/13/1997 22:00	Tucson	AZ	Light	10 minutes	We saw unidentified lights that didn't blink or make noise and moved very, very quickly.
3/13/1997 22:00	Phoenix	AZ	Other	30 minutes	This was real, and not flares!
3/13/1997 22:00	Casa Grande	AZ	Formation	8 seconds	Phoenix lights witnessed in Casa Grande, AZ
3/13/1997 22:05	Phoenix	AZ			I have just watched UFO over Phoenix on the discovery channel.I have seen the program several times,however this time while watching wi
3/13/1997 0:00	Scottsdale	AZ	Triangle	:40 minutes	2002 submission of March 13th mass UFO sightings over Phoenix

March 14, 1997; Cote-St.-Luc, Quebec, Canada

1:03 AM. A couple were in a park when they heard a loud whirring sound overhead and were engulfed in a white beam. They were unable to move. Overhead they saw, less than 50 feet above them, a silver disc-shaped UFO with multi-colored lights around the rim. They experienced an episode of missing time, their clothes were singed and they had skin burns. The woman also had a round scar on her head. (Source: Geoff Dittman, 1997 Canadian UFO Survey [electronic version], case 29).

10:30 PM. Martin Jasek investigated this one thoroughly by himself and Lorraine Bretlyn. This was a "car-chase" style case with a mother and her children one of which was a teenager. It involved a large light that played with them for a while on an eerily abandoned road; then once the family finally found some traffic, the mother and daughter got out to see better--and were surprised that no other cars evinced the slightest interest in the object that they felt was so prominently displayed. Then as the object began to move towards them, they got frightened, re-entered the car and sped off. That didn't work too well as once again traffic disappeared and the object was basically right on top of them. The daughter leaned out of the car window and could now see the object as an elliptical-shaped thing apparently made of "dark-metal", as if the thing had turned off its bright light and its real surface could now be seen. It was only lamp-post height above the car, and slightly larger than their own vehicle. Once they neared home, the object went one way and they the other. (Mike Swords).

April 18, 1997; La Grange, CA

12:45 PM. Sitting on their porch the witnesses first thought they saw a flock of birds, but soon it became apparent they were looking at a UFO that was slowly flying over the Kroger store on Commerce Avenue. It then came toward them. When directly overhead the object "sped up and rapidly disappeared." (Source: MUFON field investigation files, case 970418E).

April 27, 1997; Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

7:30 PM. In Norman Park a disc was seen hovering over a house for 10 minutes. It wobbled as it rotated slowly. Two more UFOs rose from the city park. (Source: Larry Hatch, U computer database, case 17922, citing website).

April 28, 1997; near Longview, TX

10:00 PM. The witness was driving on a business trip when he had a flat tire. A truck driver stopped to assist him when they both became aware of a UFO about 100 yards away. There looked to be humanoid figures dressed in white clothing moving around inside the craft. The object was circular and emitted an occasional flash of light. The truck driver walked closer to the object in order to get a better look. He suddenly ran back in fear yelling that they had to leave quick. Both men got into the truck and began speeding away. Shortly after the UFO silently passed over the truck and quickly flew out of sight. (Source: Albert S. Rosales, Humanoid Contact Database 1997; case #3121, citing Mark Harman, UFO Times, issue #1)

May 14, 1997; Bethelem, PA

3:00 AM. Matias Pakula was looking out his bedroom window when he spotted a cigar-shaped object hovering 300 feet in the air and a short distance away. Through windows he saw what he described as "beautiful beings" inside. After about five minutes the object shot away at high speed. (Source: Albert S. Rosales, Humanoid Contact Database 1997, citing UFO Sightings in New Mexico and the World).

June 25, 1997: Iran
Night. Its from a husband and wife who were at the Caspian Sea [Rostamrud] when they saw a light-yellow colored light far out in the sea and moving very rapidly, apparently underwater. The light then turned and seemed to come directly at them, now obviously underwater and still very fast. The couple was scared and ran away stopping a "safe" distance [they hoped] about 100 meters from water's edge. As the object came on shore it revealed itself as a now-dully-glowing object [like fog] shaped like a rectangular form, 4 feet or so in height and hovering 2 feet above the ground. As such it did not pursue the witnesses, but instead moved slowly away, paralleling the shoreline, and seems to have just gradually moved off until it could no longer be seen [witness' english is a bit "broken" and this point isn't clear]. All of this took place without the thing making any noise [if that is what "it moved without voice" means, anyway---an expression that I find quite charming]. John got both a letter and a filled-out sighting form from the husband. (Mike Swords)

9:00 PM. Mrs. Shirley Fader and her mother Helen Aitkens were standing on the public wharf about 45 minutes before sundown. They were watching Shirley's two sons as they fished for mackerel from the dock and the stern of a small fishing boat tied up along side. Shirley's mother, Helen, was the first to spot the object and drew it to her daughters attention. The object was 35 degrees above the horizon to the southeast as was determined later by compass reading taken by this investigator from the reported position of the object to their position on the dock. It was not possible, however, to determine the object's distance from them. Mrs. Fader stated that the object was stationary and described it as a brilliant white object and likened it to a searchlight type colour and brilliance but with no rays emmited from the source. Further questioning on this detail illicited that the light though brilliant and pure white, it did not seem to hurt the eyes. She again stated that if you looked straight at a searchlight it would have that kind of coloration. The object remained in their view for 15 -20 seconds then abruptly, vanished. One of Mrs. Faders sons-Robert (9) said that he was closest to the two women when they sighted the object but had had a bite on his fishing line just at that moment, so he was distracted. Something however made him look to see what they were talking about just as the object vanished. Though he did not see the object he noticed something peculiar on the water between himself and the shore about 300 metres away which was in the direction of the object. The water which was flat calm had kicked up into tiny wavelets like little pyramids in a line towards the opposite shore, but he noticed no hint of a breeze. He offered that the water did not look like it normally would if there had been a breeze with little wavelets coming toward you but choppy with little pyramids on it. Mrs. Fader said that the object did not fade out but simply vanished in the blink of an eye. There was no sound, or exhaust or vapor noted near the object. Neither Mrs. Fader or her mother could believe what they had seen. Mrs. Fader commented that she was excited by the sighting and believed that she had seen something extraordinary. (Don Ledger files)

Aug. 16, 1997; Nr. Shearstown, Newfoundland
10:10 PM. Mrs. Ann Deering and her daughter Stefanie, aged 13, were returning from a gas station in Bay Roberts to Shearstown, Newfoundland. They first sighted a well lit object, slightly above eye level, and below the horizon with some hills behind it in the background. Initially though to be an aircraft of some kind she described it as being an apparent size of a dime held at arms length but it got bigger as they moved closer to it. Mrs. Deering said that then it appeared to be about twenty feet around, looking like a flattened football from the side. It was dazzeling with some 12 or 14 multi-colored lights in a ring around the bottom. The lights, she said, were blue and red, flashing in sequence first in one direction then in the reverse direction. Both the mother and her daughter stated that they could see antennea or wires sticking out of the ends of the object. At the beginning of the sighting the object was seen through the windshield but then, as the road curved it was seen on the passenger side, just to the top right of the car. Stefanie was at first apprehensive when they sighted the UFO and grew very frightened during the event. During the closest point of their car to the object Stefanie bent forward keeping her face down on her knees and telling her mother to get away from the object. Mrs. Deering, believes that she either passed under, or very close to the object which was only a short distance above the road. She remembers having to pass a power pole and the object was between her car and the pole a distance of perhaps 50 to 75 feet [15 to 23 meters]. Mrs. Deering pulled onto the parking area of a corner store and went in to get a friend and the proprietor , Roland Butler, to come out and have a look at what they were seeing. When he did so he as well could see the object which was by this time settling behind some low hills about 1.4 kilometers away. (Don Ledger files)

Sept. 9, 1997; Marshalltown, IA

11:00 PM. A woman stepped out of her mobile home onto her lattice-enclosed patio to get some fresh air. She sighted an object that was either landed on or hovering above her nextdoor neighbor's mobile home roof. She could see a large curved window with a thin strip down the middle, and there was a bright spotlight shining from the lower front of the object. She heard no sound. She then noticed a "pilot" with something like a form-fitting hood over his head, motionless. She could not distinguish any features. Two doors then swung open in the craft and several small entities exited. She could not see their shapes or how they moved. The bright light was directed at her and she thought she was being watched. Frightened, she went back inside her house and noticed that the beam was now illuminating the interior. She continued to watch the UFO as it moved around the trailer court, occasionally stopping, hovering, and shining its light on various mobile homes. (Source: Albert S. Rosales, Humanoid Contact Database 1997, case # 2904, citing Beverly Trout, MUFON).

Oct. 3, 1997; Raahe, Finland

4:00 PM. Osmo Kurkela was walking home from school when he saw a red light in the sky that was coming straight down towards him. It stopped ten meters from the witness then landed. The UFO was five meters long and ten meters wide. Three human-looking beings emerged and one of them appeared to be a woman. Osmo ran home and attempted to hide, but his next recollection was being taken from his home and into the object. A sperm sample was allegedly taken from the young man. (Source: Albert S. Rosales, Humanoid Contact Database 1997, case # 2840, citing UFO Sightings in New Mexico and the World).

Oct. 13, 1997; Struthers, Scotland

8:30 PM. Four lights in a row approached a car from behind, being driven by a 30-year-old woman. The witness drove at speeds of 90 miles per hour in an attempt to get away, and she does not remember how she got past a sharp bend in road. Possible missing time of about ten minutes. (Source: Ron Halliday, UFO Scotland: The secret history of Scotland's UFO phenomenon, p. 156).

Oct. 20, 1997; Nr. New Glasgow, Nova Scotia
11:30 PM. Mary Jane Smith left her weekly bridge game in Melmerby for her home on Sinclair Island, an area of predominantly summer cottages and homes some 10 kilometers norteast of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. Mary Jane was alone in her car driving west along the Little Harbour road. She was about 500 meters from the turnoff to Black Point when she observed a bright light in the sky at treetop level. It was to the right of her car on the shore side of the road and appeared to be in the sky in the vicinity of her home directly north of her position. The object was white in color and was hanging motioless in the sky. Since Mary Jane had driven this road at night many times in the past, the presence of the light puzzled her because it seemed out of place and unfamiliar. She continued along the road, observing the object for a period of ten seconds or so while keeping her attention on the road. The light in question remained stationary over the trees, showing little inclination to move. She reached the Sinclair Island road and turned into it and proceeded to drive the three kilometers to her home. About five minutes later she was making the last turn before her house and climbing over a small rise when she encountered a set of lights, 25 feet above the ground, right at treetops level and close to the road she was on. She immediately slowed down and looking out of the left hand window of her vehicle she observed two large white lights about 6 feet [2 meters] apart with a red light centered between them. She attempted to see what these lights were attached to but could make out nothing other than the lights themselves, They were right down on the tops of an immature stand of birches and maples...and close; too close as far as Mary Jane was concerned. <>Despite her discomfort at the closeness of the lights, Mary Jane was able to note small details. She observed that the object was remaining steady, hovering with no movement or variation of the intensity of the lights, the latter which had fuzzy edges and were not projecting any downward illumination. Feeling the need for controlled movements she drove her car slowly down the road the remaining 35 meters or so and turned into her driveway.  M<>ary Jane killed her engine, placed her hands on the steering wheel, and waited for twenty seconds or so, listening-as she reported-to her heart pounding. She then got out of her car and-without looking back in the direction of the lights-walked slowly toward her house, getting only 2 or 3 steps before she caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of her right eye. Turning to her right she was faced with a dark, oval shaped object moving silently over a field and small inlet on the opposite side of the road. She watched as the UFO stole quietly over the treetops, straight and level against the backdrop of the starfield. It remained completely blacked out while it sped away from her and went out of sight behind the trees over toward Chance Harbour to the east of her.While Mary Jane did not see the object change from one that was brightly lit, to a dark object, she assumes that it was the same one she confronted on the road. She described the object as being quite large, big enough to be eighteen inches to two feet [45 - 75 centimeters] wide at arms length. After it disappeared over the horizon she went into her house and though she was upset she had no trouble getting to sleep. (Don Ledger files)

Dec. 14, 1997; Saguache County, CO

3:00 AM. In the San Luis Valley a witness reported seeing a large triangular craft hovering over a field. It moved slowly over the house and then over some grain silos. It then came back over the house and shone a beam of whitish blue light out of its center. Something like a small figure was taken up inside the beam. Lights around its edge flashed in rhythm when it left. (Source: Albert S. Rosales, Humanoid Contact Database 1997, case # 2874, citing Christopher O'Brien).