Nash–Fortenberry sighting

Pan American pilots William Nash and William Fortenberry, flying a DC-4 at 8,000 ft toward Norfolk, saw eight glowing discs race in formation below them, flip on edge and reverse direction, then climb west out of sight. Blue Book classified the case as unknown.

Explanation

Listed as "unknown" by Project Blue Book. Menzel suggested haze-distorted ground lights or fireflies; others a mirage of Venus.

What was seen

Shape: Eight glowing red-orange discs in echelon
Witnesses: 2 Pan Am pilots; independent ground witnesses
Duration: ~12 seconds

Browse

• United States
• 1950s
• Unresolved
• Aviation encounters
• Official government documents
• Many independent witnesses
• Pilot and aircrew witnesses
• Lights and fireballs
• Discs and saucers
• Formations and rows of lights

Similar cases

• American Airlines Captain Peter Killian’s three lights 24 February 1959
• Mitchel AFB — a Navy TBM chases a “parachute” over Long Island 21 January 1952
• Washington, D.C. radar-visual sightings 19 July 1952
• Chiles–Whitted encounter 24 July 1948