SIGHTING: TROCHU (NEAR) (CANADA), AB

Witness Testimony

"Not an fixed or rotary wing aircraft carrying out authorized flight.Heavy rainfall, cloudbase approximately 1000 agl. Object moved at high rate of speed, just below cloudbase, approx. 300+ knots. Changed course from approx. 310 to approx. 280 then disappeared over the horizon.((NUFORC Note: Supplementary message copied below. PD))Dear Sir:At midnite on June 24, 2000 myself and two others witnessed a flying objectthat exhibited controlled flight characteristics. As a commercial pilotand flight instructor, I know what is and is not an aircraft. Given theextremely poor weather conditions, its location and direction of flight,the complete lack of any sound or proper lighting, and its' very lowaltitude at a high rate of speed, I thought it would be proper to submit areport to your offices, which we did in July, although for some reason ithas not been posted in your reporting database.What is of extreme interest to me personally is the following report:Occurred : 6/25/2000 00:45 (Entered as : 06/25/00 00:45)Reported : 6/29/2000 09:02Posted : 7/11/2000Location : CALGARY, ABShape : Unknown BRIGHT LIGHT TRACKS FROM WEST TO EAST IN SOLID OVERCASTAT 12:45 AM A LIGHT DECSENDED INSIDE SOLID OVERCAST, THE LIGHT WAS SOBRIGHT IT LIT UP THE CLOUD. THE OVERCAST WAS ABOUT 6000 FEET. IT REMAINEDSTATIONARY IN THE CLOUD FOR 2 TO 3 SECONDS AND THEN PROCEDED TO TRAVEL FROMTHE DIRECTION OF WEST TO EAST. IT DID NOT COME OUT OF THE CLOUD,AND STAYEDON AN EASTERN TRACK UNTIL I LOST SIGHT OF IT. ALSO THERE WAS NO SOUNDEMITTED FROM THE CRAFT. I CALLED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL AND THEY INFORMED METHAT THERE WAS NO SCHEDULED TRAFFIC IN THE AREA AT THAT TIME. Someone else in Calgary has apparently seen the same thing, about half anhour or so after we did. He is correct on the wx at the time: Calgary'saltitude above sea level is 3439 feet, with solid overcast about 1000 AGLin heavy rain and lightning. The object we saw was below the cloud deck,moving at about 300+ knots, was lit white, had no visible nav lites, madeno sound, and carried out two course changes before leaving the area. Itwas too fast for a helicopter, too low for a jet, and far too quiet. Thenearest military aerodrome that operates anything that would move thatquick is CFB Cold Lake, some 400 miles north of our position. Again, theF-18's that they operate would certainly have been audible and have beenproperly lit, even if for some reason they chose to fly at night in suchpoor conditions, low to the ground at a high rate of speed.I don't know what your policy is regarding contacts between the authors ofthe reports you list, but if its' possible I would like to compare noteswith the author with what we saw, just on a curiosity basis alone. I'venever witnessed anything like what we saw, and I have lived and breathedaviation in all of its' aspects for as far back as I can remember.Thank you for your considerationBest regards,((name and title of aviation professional deleted))"