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1973-10-18, Ohio : 陸軍ヘリの UFO 遭遇事件の当事者証言

· 34 min read

前置き​

過去記事でも何度か取り上げた事件だが、今回は当事者の証言動画を AI(NotebookLM plus) で整理した。

gh_20250608_coyne.jpg gh_20250608_heli_uof1.jpg gh_20250608_heli_uof2.jpg
概要 by AI

マンスフィールドUFO遭遇事件]

本ソースは、1973年にオハイオ州マンスフィールド上空で発生した、陸軍ヘリコプターとUFOの遭遇事件に関する証言と調査結果をまとめたものです。パイロットであるローレンス・コインと、同乗していたジョン・ヒーリーらのヘリコプター搭乗員による詳細な体験談が語られています。

また、事件の目撃者や、UFO研究機関（CUFOS）による綿密な調査についても言及されており、事件の信憑性が強調されています。物体がヘリコプターに接近し、緑色の光を放ちながら機体を上昇させたという異常な出来事が克明に記録されています。最終的に、この事件は未解決のまま、軍による公式な結論は出されていないことが示唆されています。

情報源 : 動画(16:28)​

Green beam from a UFO lifts up Army helicopter, observed by Lawrence Coyne and John Healy in 1973

要旨

マンスフィールドUFO遭遇事件 ブリーフィング資料

概要​

本資料は、1973年10月18日夜にオハイオ州マンスフィールド上空で発生した、陸軍予備役のヘリコプター搭乗員4名と未確認飛行物体（UFO）との遭遇事件に関するものである。この事件は、搭乗員の証言、公式の軍事報告、そして地上の目撃者によって裏付けられており、UFO研究において最もよく文書化された事例の一つとされている。ヘリコプターのパイロットであるローレンス・コイン少佐（当時、後に中佐）とその乗組員が、UFOとのニアミス、ヘリコプターの異常上昇、および謎の緑色の光線に遭遇した。

主要なテーマと重要な事実​

  1. 遭遇の経緯とUFOの描写:
  • 1973年10月18日午後10時30分頃、ポートコロンバス空港を出発した陸軍予備役のUH-1Hヘリコプター（機体番号 15444）の乗組員4名（パイロット：コイン少佐、副操縦士：ルテナント・ジュッツェ、航空医：ヒーリー軍曹、クルーチーフ：ジャニセク軍曹）が遭遇した。
  • 午後11時頃、マンスフィールド東方約8マイルで、クルーチーフが東の地平線に赤い光を発見。
  • その光は「ヘリコプターに接近しており、衝突コースで向かってきている」と報告された (0:00:14)。
  • 光は急速に大きくなり、明るさを増した。
  • コイン少佐は衝突を避けるため、ヘリコプターを降下させようとしたが、物体は「ミサイルがヘリコプターにロックオンしたかのよう」に直接向かってきた (0:00:24)。
  • 物体はヘリコプターの「真上で停止」し、ホバリングした (0:00:44)。
  • 目撃された物体は「葉巻型」であり、「ドームが付いた左右対称の翼形」のような形状をしていた (0:00:52, 0:06:33)。「それは固い物体であり、金属構造をしていた」(0:06:39)。
  • 「航跡は全くなく、異常な高速で飛行していた」(0:02:59)。「垂直・水平安定板も、着陸装置も、推進源も認められなかった」(0:03:05)。「宇宙でも飛行できるようだった」(0:03:09)。
  1. UFOによるヘリコプターへの影響:
  • UFOがヘリコプターの真上でホバリングしている間、ヘリコプターはコントロールを降下位置に設定していたにも関わらず、「1,700フィートから3,500フィートまで」異常に上昇した (0:00:59)。最終的に高度は3,800フィートに達した (0:07:11)。
  • この上昇は「数秒のうち」に起こり、乗組員は「それに全く気づかなかった」 (0:01:09)。
  • 突然「乱気流のような衝撃」があり、その後ヘリコプターは再び操縦可能になった (0:01:12)。
  • UFOの機体下部から「緑色の光線」が放出された (0:02:15)。
  • この緑色の光線は「UFOからヘリコプターに向かって90度向きを変えて照射され」、ヘリコプターの「フロントのプレキシガラスを通して入り込み、キャビン全体が緑色に染まった」 (0:05:56)。
  • 光線は「ピラミッド型の」もので、「ビーム状に下に照射された」 (0:06:04)。
  • 光線は「数秒しか続かなかった」が、夜間飛行用の「赤い計器盤の明かりが緑色の光に吸収される」のが観察された (0:06:18)。
  • 乗組員は「UFOがヘリコプターを上方に引っ張っている」かのように感じたと証言している (0:11:57)。しかし、ジュッツェ少尉は「エレベーターやジェットコースターのように引っ張られる感覚や、Gフォースを感じなかった」と述べている (0:12:12)。
  1. 目撃者と調査:
  • ヘリコプターの搭乗員4名全員がUFOを目撃し、パイロット2名は公式の軍事報告書を提出した (0:10:28)。
  • 搭乗員は「20年にわたる陸軍航空経験」を持つプロであり、報告手続きを遵守した (0:07:35)。
  • UFO遭遇から20年後、ジョン・ヒーリー軍曹（クリーブランド市警の刑事でもあった）は初めて公にこの事件について語った (0:09:50)。
  • CUFOS（UFO研究センター）の調査チームは、この事件を3年以上にわたり調査し、搭乗員の証言、軍事報告書、図を収集した (0:12:42, 0:12:51)。
  • CUFOSは地上の目撃者を探し、デロング一家を発見した (0:13:29)。デロング一家は車で走行中に、ヘリコプターがUFOに追われているのを目撃した (0:01:47, 0:13:36)。彼らは「空全体が鈍い蛍光緑色に照らされていた」のを目撃した (0:13:45)。
  • デロング一家は、新聞記事には掲載されていない詳細を知っていたため、彼らの証言の信憑性が高まった (0:14:19)。彼らは「怖がっていた」と証言されている (0:14:25)。
  • 著名なUFO研究家であるJ.アレン・ハイネック博士も、搭乗員への詳細なインタビューを行い、スケッチを収集した (0:14:45)。
  1. 公式調査とその後の影響:
  • 軍も独自の調査を行い、「未確認の機体とのニアミス」と判断したが、調査結果は「大半が結論が出なかった」 (0:14:55)。
  • 事件発生時のヘリコプターと管制塔間の「無線交信記録が不可解にも消失」した (0:15:00)。これは隠蔽か、UFOによる意図的なものか不明である。
  • 遭遇後、ヘリコプター（機体番号15444）は「その後全く使い物にならなくなった」。無線や航法計器が長期間、時には何年も誤作動を起こした (0:15:18)。機体は「その後は格納庫の女王」となった (0:15:35)。
  • 懐疑論者はメテオ説を唱えたが、UFOは5分間観測されており、メテオである可能性は否定された (0:15:42)。
  • コイン中佐はUFO体験の重要性を強く感じ、国連でUFO問題への取り組みを促す代表団の一員となった (0:07:50)。
  • この事件は「プロの科学者による真剣な調査の対象」となっている (0:08:18)。
  • 事件は21年経っても「結論が出ておらず」、軍による本格的な調査は行われなかった (0:15:55)。

主要な引用句​

  • "That it was coming at us on a collision course." (0:00:14)
  • "It was like a missile locked onto the helicopter." (0:00:24)
  • "And I observed this craft stop directly in front of us. It was hovering right over the helicopter." (0:00:44)
  • "This craft, from the angle that we saw it, was cigar-shaped." (0:00:52)
  • "And our helicopter was 3,500 feet, climbing 1,000 feet a minute with no changes in the control." (0:01:02)
  • "We went from 1,700 feet to 3,500 feet in a matter of seconds and never knew it." (0:01:09)
  • "While it was in this position, the green light came out from the undercarriage of the UFO." (0:02:15)
  • "In spite of this, the helicopter was pulled upward toward the UFO from an altitude of 1,700 feet to an altitude of above 3,700 feet." (0:02:25)
  • "The object that I viewed that particular evening had a high degree of technology." (0:02:42)
  • "It was composed of a structure and a design that we do not have." (0:02:49)
  • "It was a cigar-shaped object, like a symmetrical airfoil with a dome on it. It was a solid object. It was a metallic structure to it." (0:06:33)
  • "Apparently, when we were supposed to be descending at 2,000 feet a minute at 100 knots, we were climbing at 1,000 feet a minute with the controls still established for a descent." (0:06:55)
  • "This was just a humongous green light just shining down on us, in a very definite cone shape." (0:11:50)
  • "It seemed that the UFO was pulling the helicopter toward it, overriding the aircraft's controls." (0:11:57)
  • "My analysis of this case showed that the object was under continual observation for five minutes, perhaps even more." (0:13:15)
  • "I remember the whole top of the sky was lit up a dull fluorescent green." (0:13:45)
  • "I looked out and the helicopter was just sitting there in midair with this object over it." (0:13:57)
  • "Their findings were inconclusive in large part because the radio transmissions between the helicopter and the tower had mysteriously disappeared." (0:14:58)
  • "She was never any good after that. She was the hangar queen after that. The radios would never work right. Navigation instruments, nothing." (0:15:35)

結論​

マンスフィールドUFO遭遇事件は、複数のプロの目撃者（軍人、警察官）と地上の目撃者によって詳細に証言され、公式の記録も存在する極めて重要な事例である。UFOは高度な技術を示し、異常な速度と機動性、ヘリコプターの物理的な制御を無効にする能力、そして原因不明の緑色の光線を放出する特性を持っていた。

事件後のヘリコプターの機器の継続的な誤作動や無線交信記録の消失は、この遭遇が単なる誤認や自然現象ではなかった可能性を強く示唆している。軍の公式調査は決定的な結論を出さなかったが、この事件はUFO現象の現実性と、それが航空機の運用や国家安全保障に与えうる潜在的な影響を浮き彫りにするものである。

timeline ＋ 主要関係者

タイムライン​

  • 1973年10月18日 夜:午後10時30分頃：陸軍予備役のパイロットであるローレンス・コイン少佐、副操縦士のジュッツェ中尉、衛生兵のジョン・ヒーリー軍曹、ロバート・ジャニセク軍曹の4人が、年次身体検査を終え、コロンバス港空港からヘリコプターでクリーブランドへ向けて出発する。
  • 午後11時頃：マンスフィールドの東約8マイル上空を飛行中、ヘリコプターのクルーチーフであるジャニセク軍曹が東の水平線に赤い光を目撃する。
  • 赤い光がヘリコプターに向かって接近し、衝突コースに乗っていることをクルーチーフが知らせる。
  • コイン少佐が右を見て、物体が大きくなり、光が明るくなるのを目撃する。
  • コイン少佐が衝突を回避するために、ヘリコプターを地面に向かって降下させ始める。
  • 物体はヘリコプターにまっすぐ向かって接近を続ける。ミサイルがヘリコプターにロックオンされたように見える。
  • 乗員が衝突に備える。
  • 後部座席のクルーマンが「見上げて」と言い、乗員が見上げる。
  • 物体がヘリコプターの真正面で停止し、ホバリングしているのを目撃する。
  • 当初は高性能戦闘機だと思ったが、停止したことでそれが高性能航空機ではないと全員が認識する。
  • 物体は葉巻型に見える。
  • ヘリコプターが高度1,700フィートで降下していたにもかかわらず、高度計は3,500フィート、1分あたり1,000フィートの上昇を示していることに気づく。コントロールは降下の設定のままだった。
  • ヘリコプターがわずか数秒で1,700フィートから3,500フィートまで上昇する。
  • 乱気流のような衝撃があり、ヘリコプターのコントロールを取り戻す。
  • 物体からヘリコプターに向けて緑色の光線が放出される。この光線はヘリコプターの前部のプレキシガラスを通り抜け、キャビン全体を緑色に染める。
  • この光線は数秒間続く。計器パネルの赤い照明が緑色の光に吸収されるのが確認される。
  • 物体は星空を背景に葉巻型、左右対称の翼形、ドームを持つ固体で金属製の構造物に見える。星が見えないことから、固体であることが確認される。
  • 物体はヘリコプターの近くに約2分間留まる。
  • 物体が西方向へ去っていく。
  • パイロットは、降下の設定にもかかわらず、ヘリコプターが最終的に3,800フィートまで上昇したことに気づく。
  • 地上では、マンスフィールド郊外を車で移動していたデロング一家が、UFOの後にヘリコプターがホバリングしているのを目撃する。空全体が鈍い蛍光緑色に照らされていた。
  • 1973年10月19日 午後2時頃:クリーブランド警察のジョン・ヒーリー刑事が同僚に会って、前夜の事件についてテープで報告する。
  • 事件後 数週間〜数年:関与したヘリコプター（機体番号15444）はその後、無線機や航法計器などが故障するようになる。
  • ヘリコプターと管制塔間の無線交信記録が消失する。
  • 1973年以降:陸軍パイロット2名が公式な軍事報告書を提出する。
  • CUFOS（UFO研究センター）の調査チームが3年以上にわたってマンスフィールドの遭遇事件を調査する。
  • CUFOSは、ヘリコプターの乗員へのインタビュー、軍事報告書、図を作成する。
  • CUFOSは、デロング一家を含む地上の目撃者を見つけ、証言を裏付ける。
  • 民間航空現象委員会のウォーレン・ニコルソン所長がデロング一家にインタビューし、彼らの証言の信憑性を確認する。
  • 伝説的なUFO研究者であるJ・アレン・ハイネック博士が飛行乗員が描いたスケッチを収集し、事件のあらゆる側面について詳細なインタビューを行う。
  • 軍も独自の調査を行うが、結果は「未確認飛行物体とのニアミス」として結論を出すが、原因は特定できなかった。
  • ローレンス・コイン少佐（後に中佐）は、自身のUFO体験に強い思いを抱き、国連にUFO問題への対応を促すための代表団の一員となる。
  • 事件から20年後:ジョン・ヒーリーが公に事件について初めて語る。
  • 事件から21年後:マンスフィールドUFO事件の調査は行き詰まっている。

登場人物​

  • ローレンス・コイン少佐 (Major Lawrence Coyne): 陸軍ヘリコプターパイロット。事件当時、ヘリコプターの機長を務めていた。後に中佐となる。自身のUFO体験を強く信じ、国連でUFO問題提起に携わった。
  • ジュッツェ中尉 (Lieutenant Irigo Jetsi): 陸軍ヘリコプターパイロット。事件当時、副操縦士を務めていた。
  • ジョン・ヒーリー軍曹 (Sergeant John Healy): 陸軍予備役衛生兵。事件当時、ヘリコプターに同乗していた。クリーブランド警察の刑事でもある。事件から20年後に公に証言した人物。
  • ロバート・ジャニセク軍曹 (Sergeant Robert Janicek): 陸軍予備役。事件当時、ヘリコプターのクルーチーフを務めていた。最初に赤い光を目撃した人物。
  • デロング一家 (The DeLong family): マンスフィールド郊外で地上からUFOとヘリコプターを目撃した家族。CUFOSの調査によって証言が確認された。
  • ジェニー・ザイドマン (Jenny Zeidman): CUFOS（UFO研究センター）の調査チームの一員。マンスフィールド事件の調査を主導した人物の一人。
  • ウォーレン・ニコルソン (Warren Nicholson): 民間航空現象委員会の所長。デロング一家にインタビューを行い、その証言の信憑性を確認した。
  • J・アレン・ハイネック博士 (Dr. J. Allen Hynek): 伝説的なUFO研究者。マンスフィールド事件の飛行乗員への詳細なインタビューやスケッチの収集を行った。
文字起こし

以下は Youtube 動画 "Green beam from a UFO lifts up Army helicopter, observed by Lawrence Coyne and John Healy in 1973" の文字起こしです。

(文字起こし開始)

The crew chief on the helicopter observed a light, a red light, on the east horizon. He then informed me that the light was closing on the helicopter. That it was coming at us on a collision course. And I looked to the right and I observed that the object became bigger and the light became brighter. And I began to descend the helicopter towards the ground to get out of the collision course path. (0:00:24)

And this object continued to come directly at the aircraft. It was like a missile locked onto the helicopter. It looked like we were going to collide with it, and we braced for impact. Then I heard the crewman in the back say, look up, and I did. And I observed this craft stop directly in front of us. It was hovering right over the helicopter. (0:00:44)

We assumed it was a high-performance fighter. But when it stopped directly in front of us, all four of us realized that was no high-performance aircraft. This craft, from the angle that we saw it, was cigar-shaped. We were 1,700 feet. At this time, I was worried we were going to hit the ground. And I looked at my altimeter, and our helicopter was 3,500 feet, climbing 1,000 feet a minute with no changes in the control. (0:01:09)

We went from 1,700 feet to 3,500 feet in a matter of seconds and never knew it. And there was a bump, like turbulence, at which time we had control of the aircraft again. And then we continued on to Cleveland to encounter a UFO. When it does approach the aircraft, you have no idea what it is. I think if it wanted to collide with us, it could have. (0:01:28)

But you can't get away from it. You don't have that much time to respond. I looked out the window and observed this light moving at a very excessive speed, in excess of 600 knots, coming at the helicopter. It looked like a locked-on missile. A family of five, in a car, observed the strange red object on a collision course with Colonel Coyne's helicopter. They pulled off the road to watch. (0:01:51)

The thing that makes this particular evening a unique experience was that it was almost a mid-air collision with an object that we, you know, as a UFO. We did not know it was such until it was on top of the helicopter, and that took just a matter of minutes. Colonel Coyne put the helicopter into a dive to try to avoid impact. When he and his crew looked up, the object was keeping pace with them. (0:02:15)

While it was in this position, the green light came out from the undercarriage of the UFO. Colonel Coyne cut the power and set the controls for a steep dive. In spite of this, the helicopter was pulled upward toward the UFO from an altitude of 1,700 feet to an altitude of above 3,700 feet. Colonel Coyne and his crew observed the strange UFO at close range for approximately two minutes. (0:02:42)

The object that I viewed that particular evening had a high degree of technology. (0:02:49)

It was composed of a structure and a design that we do not have. The object can move through the atmosphere without causing any turbulence. It can move at high speeds, below 10,000 feet. There are no vertical or horizontal stabilizers, no landing gear, no source of propulsion reflected on the craft. It looks like it could fly in space. This is Major Coyne, Army helicopter pilot. (0:03:15)

His co-pilot, Lieutenant Irigo Jetsi, Air Medic Sergeant Healy, and Robert Janicek. These men had just finished their annual flight physical early that day and were found fit and sound of mind. They would take off from Port Columbus Airport about 10.30 p.m. But what was about to follow and the subsequent report they filed would put to the test the credibility of these men. Approximately eight miles east of Mansfield, our crew chief, Sergeant Robert Janicek, observed a red light on the east horizon. (0:03:48)

Did you gentlemen see the same red light? Yes, I did. Our helicopter was flying on a northerly heading. We were flying at an altitude of 2,500 feet. He indicated that the light seemed to be facing the helicopter, moving along a parallel direction with our aircraft. Which direction from the helicopter was that? It was to our right, to the right side of the helicopter. (0:04:16)

And it was moving with us as we were heading north towards Cleveland. At this time, he indicated that the light change of direction was coming directly at the helicopter, at the same altitude. And as the helicopter was maintaining a speed of 90 knots, the object came at a terrific speed from the horizon we estimated 15 miles. Visibility was reported 15 miles that night. (0:04:44)

Did you gentlemen see the object at this time, after it had been pointed out by the sergeant? No, not at that time. I was flying left seat or co-pilot. And visibility from that seat, from an object approaching from the right, is rather limited. So I was having difficulty seeing the object. And it was for that reason that Major Coyne did take the aircraft with a patrol from me. (0:05:04)

I grabbed the controls from Lieutenant Jutze because I thought it was going to hit us. I braced for impact. With that, I pushed the collective down to get the helicopter to start to descend. I then looked at the altimeter. It was showing 1,700 feet. We were descending 1,000 feet a minute. The helicopter began to descend. And as this object came at the helicopter, it seemed to descend with the helicopter. (0:05:28)

When the helicopter went down, the object came down, but still came directly at our broadside, as if to hit the helicopter from the right side. Did anyone else see the object at this time? Yes, I was watching it come on out of the east horizon. And the only thing I felt was when the skipper took over the controls, and we started to auto-rotate down. (0:05:47)

I'd never been involved in a mid-air collision, so I was just watching this thing come at us. (0:05:51)

It was at this time a light came and swung 90 degrees from the UFO towards the helicopter. And it came in through the front of the plexiglass, and the entire cabin inside turned green from the light. It was a pyramid-shaped type of light that beamed down and came through the front of the helicopter. How long was your aircraft bathed in this beam? The light that came into the cockpit apparently lasted only for a few seconds. (0:06:18)

There was enough time that I observed the red instrument panel lights utilized for night flying to be absorbed by the green light. Was it possible for you to determine the outline of this object against the star background? Yes, sir. It was a cigar-shaped object, like a symmetrical airfoil with a dome on it. It was a solid object. It was a metallic structure to it. (0:06:42)

And you could see lights reflecting off the structure, and you could not see any of the stars behind the object itself. While all this was going on, what was the attitude of the helicopter? Apparently, when we were supposed to be descending at 2,000 feet a minute at 100 knots, we were climbing at 1,000 feet a minute with the controls still established for a descent. (0:07:11)

And we went from 1,700 feet up to 3,500 feet and topped out at 3,800 feet. I would like to stress one important fact, and that is there is approximately 20 years of Army aviation experience between the four men on board the helicopter that night. We have been trained to follow procedures and regulations in reporting incidents, regardless of how they're accepted. And we tried to follow those procedures, and we reported the incident as it occurred, and have avoided any speculation on the subject. (0:07:50)

This document is the result of years of investigation into Lieutenant Colonel Coyne's helicopter encounter with a UFO. It verifies the facts just presented to you. Lieutenant Colonel Coyne felt so strongly about his UFO experience that he became part of a delegation to the United Nations that tried to encourage the UN to deal with the subject of UFOs. Increasingly, UFOs have become the subject of serious investigation by professional scientists. (0:08:22)

It was October 1973. A Cleveland, Ohio police detective asked his partner to meet him in an interrogation room. The cop wanted to make a report about the strangest thing that had ever happened to him, and he wanted it on tape. Today is October the 19th, 1973, and the time is approximately 2 p.m. I have with me in my office at the present time, Detective John Healy. Healy is going to describe in his own way of an incident that had occurred last night. (0:08:58)

Okay, we left Port Columbus Airport at about 10.30 last night, and about 11 o'clock, which is halfway... The tape you are listening to is an important historical document. It is a permanent record of a UFO encounter that occurred on the night of October 18th, 1973, as witnessed by Detective John Healy. It had a steady red light on its nose. It was cigar-shaped, and it had a green light shining down out of the aft end. (0:09:31)

When Detective Healy wasn't on the beat, he was an Army Reserve medic. (0:09:36)

On the night in question, Healy and three other Reservists were returning to Cleveland via helicopter from their annual Army physical. Over the town of Mansfield, Ohio, all four men made contact with a UFO. Detective Healy now speaks publicly about the incident for the first time in 20 years. We were almost involved in a mid-air collision with an object that was coming out of the east, heading west toward us. (0:10:00)

I noticed a red light on our port side going south. It was a big red light, but I didn't think anything of it. I thought it would be the port wing of another aircraft. We saw it kept coming at us, and it was a clear night, unlimited visibility. It didn't have any wings. It didn't have any windows as you would see on a conventional aircraft. (0:10:28)

Healy was not the only witness. All four crew members saw the UFO, and the two pilots filed official military reports detailing their versions of the near-deadly UFO encounter. But Healy is the only one who, two decades later, is willing to speak out. He described for sightings what all four crew members attested to when they signed this affidavit. This was an object that moved at a very fast rate of speed. (0:10:56)

It saw us, probably, before we saw it. It just tracked us, because we had all our navigation lights on and running and blinking. And then it started back toward us again. Maybe it had never seen a helicopter at night. The UFO appeared to be threatening the helicopter, maneuvering toward it on a collision course. The pilot was flying in the right seat. He had to take the controls, and he put the helicopter into a dive. (0:11:23)

After narrowly avoiding a mid-air crash, the pilot took evasive action, diving at a rate of 2,000 feet per minute. At 1,700 feet, the helicopter was suddenly paralyzed, even though the controls were still in a dive configuration. The UFO cast an ominous greenish light over the helicopter. This was just a humongous green light just shining down on us, in a very definite cone shape. (0:11:50)

You could look at the light, and you could actually see the beam of the light. The pilot tried to dive, but instead started to rise. It seemed that the UFO was pulling the helicopter toward it, overriding the aircraft's controls. In regards to our aircraft climbing, while it was in a dive configuration, I didn't feel us being pulled up, as in an elevator or a roller coaster. (0:12:12)

You don't feel the g-force of a dive or a climb. I didn't feel that. It scanned us for that instant that it hesitated over us. It scanned us. Then it took off. After the object went off to the west, the helicopter pilot noted that although he had been in a descent, and his controls were in the configuration for a descent, the helicopter had actually risen to 3,800 feet. (0:12:42)

Jenny Zeidman was part of a research team from CUFOS, the Center for UFO Studies, that investigated the Mansfield encounter for more than three years. (0:12:51)

The interviews, military reports, and diagrams compiled by CUFOS make Mansfield one of the most well-documented UFO encounters ever. My analysis of this case showed that the object was under continual observation for five minutes, perhaps even more. Despite the impeccable credentials of the four military men, the Center for UFO Studies searched for ground eyewitnesses that could corroborate the sighting. And they found them. (0:13:29)

The DeLong family was driving on the outskirts of Mansfield when they saw a helicopter hovering in the wake of a UFO. The kids kept hollering, they wanted to stop, they wanted to stop. She finally stopped the car and I jumped out. I remember the whole top of the sky was lit up a dull fluorescent green. I looked out and the helicopter was just sitting there in midair with this object over it. (0:13:57)

And to be honest, it scared me. I was scared at that time. But I didn't, it didn't sink in that it was still really something, a UFO. The DeLongs were interviewed three years after the fact by Warren Nicholson, director of the Civil Commission on Aerial Phenomena. He grilled the family about what they had seen. I was a little bit doubtful at first that maybe they had just read the story in the newspaper, but they knew things that hadn't been in the article. From the multiple interviews we had with them, you could tell that they were scared. (0:14:25)

This brought together two groups of witnesses. It established the exact location of the event. We were able to compute the flight path of the helicopter. Legendary UFO researcher Dr. J. Allen Hynek compiled sketches of the event drawn by the flight crew and conducted in-depth interviews about every aspect of the encounter. At the same time, the military was conducting their own investigation. They ruled the incident a near miss with an unidentified craft. (0:14:58)

Their findings were inconclusive in large part because the radio transmissions between the helicopter and the tower had mysteriously disappeared. Was the tape erased to cover up the encounter? Or could the UFO have intentionally obliterated the transmission? Coincidentally, many other onboard instruments continued to malfunction weeks, even years, after the incident. The aircraft number was a 15444. That was the aircraft we were in that night. She was never any good after that. She was the hangar queen after that. The radios would never work right. Navigation instruments, nothing. (0:15:39)

The skeptics immediately came up with the idea that this was a meteor. Well, there's no way this could have been a meteor. It lasted for five minutes. No meteor takes five minutes to cross the sky from horizon to horizon. As far as I'm concerned, the case will not be concluded until we have identified this object. But after 21 years, the trail is growing cold. The Mansfield UFO will never be investigated by our military the way Detective Healy once took for granted that it would be. (0:16:12)

It's quite simple. If anything further comes along, I'd just be interested in knowing. (0:16:17)

Oh, well, we've got a reserve meeting the 3rd of November, and if nothing else, I'll find out how far the report's gone from there. Thanks ever so much.

(0:16:25)

(2025-06-08)