Buzz
J. Allen Hynek, the esteemed astronomer and ufologist, developed a universal scale to categorize and define close encounter reports in ufology. This scale, ranging from Close Encounters of the First Kind to the Seventh Kind, is widely recognized. Our focus here is on Close Encounters of the Sixth Kind, which involve fatalities or physical harm to humans or animals.
10. B-25 Bomber Transporting UFO Debris Meets a Tragic End
On August 1, 1947, a B-25 Mitchell bomber crashed in Washington state, reportedly transporting UFO debris. This debris is believed to have sparked a fire that led to the aircraft's demise, resulting in the deaths of both pilots. As the first aircraft lost by the newly established United States Air Force, the incident garnered significant attention and underwent extensive investigation. The story traces back to July 21, when a UFO sighting on Maury Island, Washington, involved smoking debris from a damaged doughnut-shaped UFO injuring a man and killing his dog. This debris was allegedly being carried by the ill-fated B-25.
The pilots who perished in the B-25 crash were intelligence officers involved in the Air Force's investigation of the Maury Island incident. This period was particularly tumultuous for the newly formed Air Force, as it followed the Roswell incident by less than a month and the Kenneth Arnold sighting by just three days. It was indeed a chaotic and bewildering time for the Air Force.
9. Valentich UFO Encounter And Disappearance
One of the most unsettling and enigmatic disappearances of a pilot and aircraft occurred on October 21, 1978, when a young Australian pilot reported being pursued by a hostile UFO. Frederick Valentich, the 20-year-old pilot, vanished without a trace after radioing that he was under threat from a UFO. No evidence of him or his plane has ever been discovered.
Valentich was flying his single-engine Cessna 182 on a 200-kilometer (125 mi) journey over Bass Strait when he contacted Melbourne Tower, reporting an unidentified aircraft hovering 300 meters (1,000 ft) above him. He described the UFO as emitting four intense lights. His final recorded words were: “It’s not an aircraft . . . ” followed by eerie metallic noises and then silence.
The Australian Air Force received 11 UFO reports from witnesses along the Bass Strait coast that night, but officials from the Australian Transport Department remained doubtful. Some speculated that Valentich became disoriented, possibly mistaking his own aircraft's lights reflecting off the water while flying inverted. Frederick’s father, Guio Valentich, remarked, “The lack of any trace of him supports the possibility that UFOs were involved.”
8. The Mantell UFO Incident
On January 7, 1948, around 1:30 PM, Captain Thomas F. Mantell of the Kentucky Air National Guard was piloting his F-51 toward Standiford Air Force Base, accompanied by three other Guard aircraft. Simultaneously, the Kentucky State Police received numerous reports from the public about an enormous, unidentified circular object hovering over Mansville. Soon, sightings were reported in Irvington and Owensboro, and the air traffic control tower at Godman Air Force Base confirmed visual contact with the object. It was described as “large, circular, whitish in color, with a red light on its underside, moving slowly southward.”
About an hour later, Mantell’s flight group was asked if they had sufficient fuel to investigate the mysterious object. After confirming with the tower, one pilot continued on his original route, while Mantell and the other two received coordinates from Godman Tower and headed toward the unidentified craft. The following is an excerpt from the actual transcripts:
The object is directly ahead and above me, moving at roughly half my speed. It seems to be metallic or reflecting sunlight off a metallic surface, and it’s of enormous size. I’m still climbing, attempting to get closer for a better view.
These were Captain Mantell’s final words.
7. Falcon Lake Incident
On May 20, 1967, at noon, Stephen Michalak, a Winnipeg-based industrial mechanic, was prospecting near Falcon Lake in Manitoba when he observed two unusual aircraft. One hovered momentarily before speeding away, while the other landed approximately 50 meters (160 ft) away. Michalak approached the landed craft, calling out in six languages he knew, offering assistance to fix what he called their “peculiar machine,” but received no reply.
As Michalak neared the craft, he saw a panel open on its side, but the intense yellowish-blue light prevented him from seeing inside. He attempted to communicate with the occupants again, but the panel abruptly closed, and the craft emitted a high-pitched whine as it began spinning counter-clockwise. As it lifted off, Michalak, inexplicably, reached out with his gloved left hand to touch it. To his shock, his glove instantly burst into flames. The panel reopened, releasing a blast of heat that threw him to the ground, forcing him to tear off his burning shirt as he rolled to extinguish the flames.
Injured, frightened, and half-naked, Michalak collected his belongings and managed to catch a bus home, where he sought immediate medical attention. The Falcon Lake incident was thoroughly investigated by Canadian authorities, the Condon Commission, multiple civilian UFO groups from the US and Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Canadian Department of National Defense, yet it remains unresolved.
6. Lady—The First Animal Mutilation
On September 7, 1967, Lady, a three-year-old Appaloosa mare affectionately called “Snippy,” did not return to her pasture for her morning drink on the Harry King ranch, located 32 kilometers (20 mi) northeast of Alamosa, Colorado. Two days later, her mutilated body was discovered in the pasture. The horse’s injuries included precise, surgical-like cuts, and no footprints or tracks were found near the scene. However, unusual markings were observed around the area.
Six circular indentations, each forming a 1-meter (3 ft) diameter, were found, leading many to speculate they were made by the landing gear of an unidentified craft. Upon examination, Lady’s heart and brain were missing, and her body emitted a strange odor resembling formaldehyde. Nellie Lewis, the horse’s owner, and ranch owner Harry King visited the site and noted an incense-like smell and a bush that appeared flattened by intense heat from above. Nellie later discovered that her boots, worn at the scene, tested positive for radioactivity, explaining why a piece of mane she picked up burned her hand.
Nellie Lewis reported the incident to the United States Forest Service. Ranger Duane Martin confirmed elevated radioactivity levels extending up to a two-block radius around Lady’s body. This case remains unexplained and marked the beginning of the animal mutilation phenomenon in the United States.
5. The Judy Doraty Abduction
In May 1973, Judy Doraty, her daughter Cindy, her mother, and her sister-in-law experienced a terrifying event that would haunt them forever. After a night of playing bingo in Houston, they were driving back to Judy’s hometown of Texas City via Alto Loma to drop off her brother-in-law and sister. Once back on the road, they noticed a peculiar light hovering in the night sky.
Intrigued by the strange light, they pulled over, exited the car, and stared in awe until it vanished. They then resumed their journey home. Shortly after, Judy began suffering from severe headaches and anxiety attacks. Despite multiple doctors declaring her healthy, she was eventually referred to Dr. Leo Sprinkle, a renowned hypnotist and ufologist. Sprinkle, familiar with UFO-related trauma, believed hypnosis could help Judy process her emotional distress. From the start, Sprinkle suspected an abduction scenario.
Under hypnosis, Judy recounted being abducted and taken aboard an alien spacecraft. She vividly described witnessing a cow being lifted into the craft and mutilated by two small beings, leaving her horrified. During the session, she also spoke of the unsettling sensation of existing in two places simultaneously. Despite this, she recalled standing by her car after the light disappeared, leaving her confused about the conflicting memories. Linda Moulton-Howe featured footage of this regression in her acclaimed documentary A Strange Harvest, which explores animal mutilation phenomena.
4. NTSB Says UFO Causes Fatal Cessna Crash
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that a single-engine Cessna, which crashed into Big Bateau Bay, Alabama, on October 23, 2002, collided with an unknown object midair. The aircraft was visible on radar at 900 meters (3,000 ft) above the Mobile-Tensaw Delta shortly after takeoff before the mysterious incident occurred. The NTSB report highlighted an unidentified red substance on the Cessna’s damaged nose and underbelly, suggesting it struck or was struck by another object.
The crash claimed the life of 54-year-old pilot Thomas J. Preziose from Mobile, Alabama, just minutes after departing from the Downtown Airport. The Cessna had recently passed an FAA inspection, making its sudden disappearance from radar and subsequent crash even more perplexing. Preziose was on a contracted flight for DHL Worldwide Express, transporting 190 kilograms (420 lbs) of business documents to Montgomery, Alabama.
3. Dyatlov Pass Incident
The Dyatlov Pass Incident took place around February 2 or 3, 1959, when nine hikers ventured into Russia’s Ural Mountains, aiming for Otorten, a peak whose name translates to “Do not go there” in the local language. Their destination, ominously referred to as “The Mountain of the Dead,” foreshadowed the tragedy that awaited them. All nine hikers were later discovered fatally injured, each suffering from gruesome and inexplicable wounds.
Four days later, the Russian military located their campsite and were stunned by the scene. The hikers had fled in such haste that they left behind essentials like shoes and coats. The tent had been slashed open from the inside, suggesting they were trying to escape something that had entered it.
Autopsies revealed even more shocking details. Some bodies appeared mummified, as if aged rapidly, while others bore injuries typically seen in high-impact accidents, such as plane or car crashes. The severity of the trauma baffled doctors. The Russian authorities kept the incident under wraps for years.
Adding to the mystery, unidentified orange orbs were reported in the area the night before the hikers’ deaths. Additionally, the Mansi, an indigenous tribe of the Urals, have an ancient legend about nine people who took the same route and never returned alive.
2. Cash-Landrum Incident
On a chilly December evening in 1980, in the Piney Woods of Texas, two women and a young boy encountered one of the most bizarre unidentified aircraft ever witnessed. The encounter left them with severe physical injuries and lasting emotional scars, ultimately claiming one life.
Betty Cash, 51, was driving along Market Road 1485 in Texas on December 29, 1980, accompanied by her friend Vickie Landrum, 57, and Vickie’s seven-year-old grandson, Colby. They were searching for a bingo game but found most venues closed for the holidays. After a quick meal, they resumed their journey and soon noticed a distant light. As they approached, the light grew closer, revealing a fiery, struggling object barely hovering above the treetops.
Initially, the trio assumed the object was a military aircraft from a nearby base. However, they soon realized it was a massive, diamond-shaped craft hovering directly above the road. Periodically, it emitted columns of intense orange flames, scorching the road surface, which was mysteriously repaved shortly after. Vickie later described the craft as “a diamond of fire” and admitted she feared it signaled “the end of time.”
Frightened, Colby retreated to the car with his grandmother, while Betty remained outside, captivated by the surreal sight. Suddenly, the sky filled with helicopters, which Betty described as rushing in from all directions, seemingly attempting to encircle the craft. The mysterious object then ascended and moved southwest, closely followed by the helicopters.
When Betty reached the car, the door handle was scorching hot, making it difficult to touch. She burned her hand while entering and quickly turned on the air conditioner to cool down the sweltering interior. After the craft vanished, Betty restarted the car and began driving home, hoping to never encounter such a sight again. However, a few miles later, the object reappeared, now encircled by Earthly aircraft shining searchlights on it. They counted 23 helicopters, identifying them as double-rotor Chinooks and smaller Bell Hueys.
Upon returning home, all three fell severely ill. Betty developed blisters on her neck and head, and her eyes swelled shut. Everyone experienced nausea, and by the next morning, Betty was nearly comatose. Colby and Vickie suffered similar, though less severe, symptoms. Betty was hospitalized for 15 days, treated for radiation exposure. Her eyes swelled so badly she was blind for a week, and her hair began to fall out—clear signs of radiation sickness.
Betty Cash passed away on December 29, 1998, exactly 18 years after the incident. Vickie Landrum died on September 12, 2007, outliving Betty by nine years despite being six years older. Colby Landrum remains alive and well, residing in Texas. They filed a lawsuit but failed to prove government involvement.
1. Maury Island Incident
In 1947, the waters off Maury Island in Washington state were fraught with hazards, requiring patrol boats to retrieve loose logs and return them to mills. Harold Dahl, who operated one such boat, reported to his shore supervisor, Fred Crisman, on June 21, 1947. While patrolling with his son and their dog, Dahl spotted six doughnut-shaped craft hovering approximately 600 meters (2,000 ft) above his boat near Maury Island’s eastern shore.
The craft, constructed from a highly reflective metal, measured 30 meters (100 ft) in diameter, with central openings about 8 meters (25 ft) wide. Dahl observed portholes and what appeared to be an observation window on the vessels. Five of the six craft encircled one that seemed damaged and was gradually descending. It halted approximately 150 meters (500 ft) above the water. Fearing a collision, Dahl steered his boat toward the shore for safety. Once ashore, he captured several photographs of the scene. What followed could only be described as an “in-flight repair operation.”
The impaired craft remained stationary for several minutes while the other five orbited above. One of the vessels descended from the formation and connected with the damaged craft. After a loud thud, thousands of pieces of debris rained down from the central ship. While most debris fell into the water, some landed on the beach and was later collected by the Air Force. Dahl retrieved a few fragments, noting they were made of a lightweight, whitish metal. Additionally, the craft released a larger quantity of a black, lava-like metallic substance that steamed upon contact with water. The men sought cover as the black material rained down, injuring Dahl’s son, breaking his arm, and killing their dog.
This case remains unsolved, and Harold Dahl became the first individual to claim harassment by the infamous ‘men in black.’
