Interesting Reply Letter Regarding UFO Incidents from the C.A.A. 1976-2010

Firstly, just to state that this letter wasn't in response to me, I was looking for some information regarding a UFO/passenger plane collision from 1984 and this is what I found, so thought I would share as it makes for some interesting reading I think

In regards to the incident I was looking into, the report is as follows:

THE A/C WAS FLYING IN SLIGHT TURBULENCE WHEN A BUMP WAS FELT. JUST BEFORE DESCENT THE RIGHT ENGINE CONTROL WAS FOUND TO BE SEIZED SO AN ASYMMETRIC APPROACH & LANDING WAS EXECUTED. ON INSPECTION IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE LEFT PROPELLER HAD STRUCK AN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT, PROPELLING IT THROUGH THE CABIN ROOF, WITH A PIECE EXITING THROUGH A WINDOW. THERE WERE SEVERAL HOLES IN THE FUSELAGE & DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE, AILERON & RUDDER TRIM CABLES. THREE PIECES OF FOREIGN METALLIC OBJECT WERE FOUND, INCLUDING A SMALL CYLINDRICAL MAGNET. THE UFO HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED. (AIB BULLETIN 10/84). SEE DIGEST 84/D/43. CAA CLOSURE: NO INFORMATION RECEIVED CONCERNING NATURE OR ORIGIN OF UFO

Now reading through this, some of these reports are explainable and some just sound downright whacky, couple of the more interesting ones, Salisbury U.K. 2001:

The BA41 was at FL70, under radar control from Solent Approach, when the captain saw reciprocal traffic passing at extremely high speed slightly below and to the left, and heard it pass with a "whoosh". The incident was heard, but not seen, by the co-pilot. Despite extensive enquiries by UKAB, it was not possible to identify what the pilots had seen and heard.

Belgrade, Yugoslavia 1986:

NON UK AIRMISS MISSILE TYPE OBJECT PASSED 500FT ABOVE ON RECIPROCAL TRACK A/C HEADING 290DEG MAG AT FL390.OBJECT WAS BLACK,CIGAR SHAPED,WITHOUT
WINGS. BEGRADE RADAR INFORMED ON RTF. CAA CLOSURE-FOREIGN AUTHORITY
ADVISED.

Brindisi, Italy 1982:

OBJECT PASSED DOWN LEFT HAND SIDE AT SAME HEIGHT AS A/C (FL230) APPROX 2 MILES AWAY. BLACK SHINY DOUGHNUT SHAPE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A CAR. OBJECT WAS TUMBLING & JUDGED TO BE STATIONARY.

This one over Luton U.K. in 2004 is whacky, the mystery parachutist

The B737 was in Class A airspace at the time, well clear of any notified parachuting sites. It has not been possible to verify that the perceived object was actually a parachutist. Examination of the radar recordings did not reveal any likely parachuting aircraft in the area at the time. However, the flight crew of the B737 gave a full description of the clothing warn by the parachutist. This occurrence was the subject of a separate review by the UK Airprox Board - see Airprox Report 150/04

Seems to me that there's quite a lot happening in the skies above our heads, one thing that sprung to mind is the videos of UFOs buzzing planes, which I believe is a genuine occurrence from time to time, no surprise that they would collide from time to time.

Also I found it fun to run through them with possible explanations, try it

Link: www.caa.co.uk...

That's an interesting PDF and set of cases in there. I liked this one, must've scared the bejesus out of the pilot:

Occurrence Date : 18 Jan 2000
Location : London-Heathrow - LHR

Two bright white wing lights and a dark shadow in between them (like an airliner/transport aircraft shape) were spotted through the captain's LH sliding window, flying straight towards except for the last one or two seconds as the lights appeared to descend and the A320 pilot banked to the right to avoid it. Both the unidentified aircraft and the A320 entered a cloud layer shortly afterwards and contact was lost. - despite a call to ATC, no contacts observed on radar at the time or found subsequently on the recordings.

The ones where pilots see "missile" type objects or things stream past the plane at high speed interest me a lot. Being a witness to these objects, and becomming more aware of the near misses that happen - you are right it's no wonder nothing bad has appeared to happen (ie a collision).

Definitely lots of things going on in the UK airspace, hopefully majority safe!! Though I notice the document thins out the closer we get to 2010 so maybe they've learnt not to fly around at human airplane altitudes? But still a very interesting read, thanks for sharing!

PS. I wonder where that "magnet" is now. Also this was a good one, ATC got the aircraft to investigate, and - well read it for yourself. It suggests quite clearly we are not alone

12 Jun 1982
Pretitle : Other Occurrence : LARGE TRANSLUCENT OBJECT, APPROX 500FT LONG, OBSERVED AT 41000FT.
Precis :
ATCC REQUESTED SUBJECT A/C TO INVESTIGATE THIS OBJECT WHICH WAS FOUND TO HAVE THE FORM OF A DOUBLE RECTANGLE SURMOUNTED BY A GLOBE (EGG SHAPE) CROWNED BY A SILVER CONE. OBJECT OBSERVED BY ALL ON BOARD.

Originally posted by markymint
That's an interesting PDF and set of cases in there. I liked this one, must've scared the bejesus out of the pilot:

Occurrence Date : 18 Jan 2000
Location : London-Heathrow - LHR

Two bright white wing lights and a dark shadow in between them (like an airliner/transport aircraft shape) were spotted through the captain's LH sliding window, flying straight towards except for the last one or two seconds as the lights appeared to descend and the A320 pilot banked to the right to avoid it. Both the unidentified aircraft and the A320 entered a cloud layer shortly afterwards and contact was lost. - despite a call to ATC, no contacts observed on radar at the time or found subsequently on the recordings.

The ones where pilots see "missile" type objects or things stream past the plane at high speed interest me a lot. Being a witness to these objects, and becomming more aware of the near misses that happen - you are right it's no wonder nothing bad has appeared to happen (ie a collision).

Definitely lots of things going on in the UK airspace, hopefully majority safe!! Though I notice the document thins out the closer we get to 2010 so maybe they've learnt not to fly around at human airplane altitudes? But still a very interesting read, thanks for sharing!

PS. I wonder where that "magnet" is now. Also this was a good one, ATC got the aircraft to investigate, and - well read it for yourself. It suggests quite clearly we are not alone

12 Jun 1982
Pretitle : Other Occurrence : LARGE TRANSLUCENT OBJECT, APPROX 500FT LONG, OBSERVED AT 41000FT.
Precis :
ATCC REQUESTED SUBJECT A/C TO INVESTIGATE THIS OBJECT WHICH WAS FOUND TO HAVE THE FORM OF A DOUBLE RECTANGLE SURMOUNTED BY A GLOBE (EGG SHAPE) CROWNED BY A SILVER CONE. OBJECT OBSERVED BY ALL ON BOARD.

edit on 16-2-2012 by markymint because: more info

The Heathrow incident kinda raises a few questions, like for example is that a military craft and if so, why was it flying straight towards the passenger plane? I've no doubt the TR-3 exists but it still ain't air force policy to go roaming around foreign airspace buzzing passenger planes.

And, it would've been so kl to have been on that second flight, that is definitely something out of the norm.

Just to add, TR-3: www.liveleak.com...