The case record
What was reported?
An Army Reserve helicopter crew reported a luminous object approaching closely and an unexplained altitude change.
- Reported date
- 18 Oct 1973
- Witnesses
- US Army Reserve helicopter crew · 4
- Investigation
- Army / civilian UFO investigators
Evidence in the record
Eyewitness; flight testimony
Competing explanations
Official and research context
No definitive official identification
Conventional explanations
Meteor or aircraft lights proposed
Arguments that remain contested
Crew's close-range description remains disputed
Locations & timeline
Coordinates are representative. Area and route labels do not imply exact paths or object positions.
- Primary reference location
Airspace near Mansfield
Mansfield
Reported event location · Approximate area radius: 30 km
40.750°, -82.520° · route · Medium
Record notes
Approximate airborne point; route desirable.
Imported starting record; individual claims and source links await editorial verification.
Original dataset status: Unresolved / disputed