Ufologist Alain Gamard apparently noted that in the end of September 1954, about midnight, in Albias in the Tarn-and-Garonne, Jean Dumons was driving by car when his headlights suddenly died out.
He then saw in a nearby meadow a round and high apparatus of a wingspan of 2.50 to 3 meters posed on a gear, and noticed three beings in its vicinity.
He observed that during two minutes; then the object took off vertically, took a horizontal trajectory and was quickly out of sight.
| Case number: | URECAT-000988 |
|---|---|
| Date of event: | End September 1954 |
| Earliest report of event: | 1980 |
| Delay of report: | Day, decades? |
| Witness reported via: | Not known. |
| First alleged record by: | Ufology group. |
| First certain record by: | Ufology catalogue Zürcher. |
| First alleged record type: | Ufology group. |
| First certain record type: | Ufology catalogue. |
| This file created on: | October 23, 2009 |
| This file last updated on: | February 5, 2019 |
| Country of event: | France |
| State/Department: | Tarn-et-Garonne |
| Type of location: | In nearby meadow seen from car on road. |
| Lighting conditions: | Night |
| UFO observed: | Yes |
| UFO arrival observed: | No |
| UFO departure observed: | Yes |
| UFO/Entity Relation: | Certain |
| Witnesses numbers: | 1 |
| Witnesses ages: | Not reported. Adult or aged. |
| Witnesses types: | Not reported. Male, car driver. |
| Photograph(s): | No. |
| Witnesses drawing: | No. |
| Witnesses-approved drawing: | No. |
| Number of entities: | 3 |
|---|---|
| Type of entities: | Not reported. |
| Entities height: | Not reported. |
| Entities outfit type: | Not reported. |
| Entities outfit color: | Not reported. |
| Entities skin color: | Not reported. |
| Entities body: | Not reported. |
| Entities head: | Not reported. |
| Entities eyes: | Not reported. |
| Entities mouth: | Not reported. |
| Entities nose: | Not reported. |
| Entities feet: | Not reported. |
| Entities arms: | Not reported. |
| Entities fingers: | Not reported. |
| Entities fingers number: | Not reported. |
| Entities hair: | Not reported. |
| Entities voice: | Not reported. |
| Entities actions: | Were near landed UFO. |
| Entities/witness interactions: | None reported. |
| Witness(es) reactions: | Observed. |
| Witness(es) feelings: | Not reported. |
| Witness(es) interpretation: | Not reported. |
| Explanation category: | Extraterrestrial visitors or helicopter. |
| Explanation certainty: | Medium. |
[Ref. ez1:] ERIC ZURCHER:
Ufologist Eric Zurcher compiled a small catalogue of about thirty previously unpublished French cases, among which this one:
|
|
040. End 09.54. Albias 182) Mr X... Around midnight, the witness who was driving a car saw his headlights dying out. In a meadow was a high and round machine, of 2 m 50 by 3 m of wingspan, posed on feet. 3 beings were at its side. After 2 mn of observation the object rose vertically, then took a horizontal trajectory and disappeared. Source: Investigation by Cerquel l'honor de Cos. Communication A. Gamard. |
[Ref. mf1:] MICHEL FIGUET:
This ufologist noted:
| CASE Nr | CLASSIFICATION | DATE | HOUR | PLACE | ZIP CODE | CREDIBILITY SOURCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90 | CE3 | end 09 1954 | 24.00 | Albias | 82350 C3 | O-RS, EZ, LDLN 195 |
[Ref. js1:] JEAN SIDER:
Jean Sider indicates that in the end of September 1954, about midnight, in Albias in the Tarn-and-Garonne, Jean Dumons was driving by car when his headlights suddenly died out. He then saw in a nearby meadow a round and high machine of a wingspan of 2.50 to 3 meters posed on a gear, and noticed three beings in its vicinity.
He observed that during two minutes, then the object took off vertically, took a horizontal trajectory and quickly disappeared.
Jean Sider indicates that the source is LDLN #195 in May 1980 and Alain Gamard's file.
[Ref. lh1] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":
|
3860: 1954/09/28 23:50 2 1:27:00 E 44:05:00 N 3323 WEU FRN T&G 8:6 ALBIAS,FR:1/CAR:3M SCR on LEGS/FLD:3 FIGs OUTSIDE/2 min:^^+>> HZNTL:/LDLN#195 Ref#217 Jean SIDER: Le DOSSIER 1954 (2 vol.) Page No. 173 : ROAD+RAILS |
[Ref. dj1:] DONALD JOHNSON:
|
Encounters With Aliens On This Day September 28 [...] 1954 - At 11:45 p.m. in Albias, Tarn-Garonne department, France a three meter wide disc was seen resting on legs in a field by a single witness. Three beings were seen outside the craft for two minutes. When they reboarded the UFO rose vertically up into the air, then shot away horizontally at high speed. (Source: Larry Hatch, U computer database, case #3661, citing J. Sider, p. 173). |
[Ref. ar1:] ALBERT ROSALES:
|
92. The witness observes a spherical object land silently on tripod-like landing gear. Three short humanoids are briefly seen moving around the object. The UFO then rises vertically and takes a horizontal trajectory quickly disappearing from sight. HC addendum |
[Ref. lc1:] LUC CHASTAN:
Luc Chastan indicates that in the Tarn et Garonne in Albias in September 1954 at 00:00 hours, at the end of the month, "the witness is in a car when the headlights die out. He then observes in a meadow a high and round object of 2m50 to 3 m in diameter posed on feet. Three beings are at the side. After 2mn of observation the object rises vertically, then takes a horizontal trajectory and disappears."
Luc Chastan indicates that the sources are "Lumières dans la Nuit issue 195" and "Les apparitions d'humanoïdes by Zurcher Erich ** Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979".
[Ref. ud1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
The website indicates that on 28 September 1954 at 23:50 in Albias, France, "3m disc on legs in field. three beings outside for two minutes. They reboard, UFO rises, shoots moving rapidly to the horizontally."
And: "At 11:45 p.m. in Albias, Tarn-Garonne department, France a three meter wide disc was seen resting on legs in a field by a single witness. Three beings were seen outside the craft for two minutes. When they reboarded the UFO rose vertically up into the air, then shot away horizontally at high speed."
And: "Close encounter with an unidentified craft and its occupants. One disc, about 10 feet across, was observed by one witness on a road for two minutes. Three beings were seen."
The source is indicated as Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002.
[Ref. ud2:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
The website indicates that in October 1954 at 21:00 in Albias, France, "The witness observes a spherical object land silently on tripod-like landing gear. Three short humanoids are briefly seen moving around the object. The UFO then rises vertically and takes a horizontal trajectory quickly disappearing from sight."
The source [Albert Rosales] appears as a broken link.
[Ref. pr1:] PETER ROGERSON:
|
September 3 1954 (approximate date), 2355hrs. ALBIAS (TARN-ET-GARONNE : FRANCE) Jean Dumont was driving his car when his headlights went out, and he saw, in a field, a high, round object with three men. The object took off vertically to the east. The observation lasted two minutes. The witnesses sketch shows a conical object with two spots halfway up the surface. Alain Gamard citing Gerard Barthel citing Cuquel L’Honor de Cas Investigation LDLN files. |
[Ref. ta1:] "THINK ABOUT IT" WEBSITE:
|
Location: Albias, Tarn-et-Garonne, France Date: October 1954 Time: night The witness observes a spherical object land silently on tripod-like landing gear. Three short humanoids are briefly seen moving around the object. The UFO then rises vertically and takes a horizontal trajectory quickly disappearing from sight. Source: Michel Figuet |
[Ref. ni1:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":
|
*Sep. 28, 1954 - At 11:45 p.m. in Albias, Tarn-Garonne department, France a three meter wide disc was seen resting on legs in a field by a single witness. Three beings were seen outside the craft for two minutes. When they reboarded the UFO rose vertically up into the air, then shot away horizontally at high speed. (Source: Larry Hatch, U computer database, case #3661, citing J. Sider, p. 173). |
[Ref. jg1:] JULIEN GONZALEZ:
The author indicates that there was a close encounter of the third type in Albias, Tarn-et-Garonne, at the end of September 1954, around midnight.
Jean Dumons drove a car when suddenly his headlights went out. He saw in a neighboring meadow a round and high craft, 2.50 m to 3 m wide, placed on "supports". Three beings were noticed nearby. After two minutes of observation, the object rose vertically and disappeared quickly after taking a horizontal trajectory.
Sources are indicated as Lumières dans la Nuit, #195, May 1980, page 26.
[Ref. pr2:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":
|
September 3 1954. (Approx. date) 2355hrs. ALBIAS (TARN-ET-GARONNE : FRANCE) Jean Dumont was driving his car when his headlights went out, and he saw, in a field, a high, round object with three men. The object took off vertically to the east. The observation lasted two minutes. The witnesses sketch shows a conical object with two spots halfway up the surface. Alain Gamard citing Gerard Barthel citing Cirquel L'Honor de Cas Investigation. Lumieres dans le [sic] Nuit files |
Peter Rogerson recorded the same case twice:
|
Late September 1954. 2350hrs. ALBIAS (TARNE ET GARONNE : FRANCE) Jean Dumons was out driving when his car headlights failed. In a nearby field he saw a high circular machine, about 2.5-3m diameter sitting on a landing gear. Three beings were by its side. After 2 minutes the object took off vertically then moved away horizontally Eric Zurcher in Lumieres dans le [sic] Nuit 195 p26 citing Alain Gamard citing Cerquel l'honor de Cos first hand Sider 1997 p173 citing above) |
I see three possible explanations for this poorly detailed report:
I cannot exclude an extraterrestrial craft. But there is no really convincing proof. Note all the same the extinction of the headlights of the witness' car, an element of strangeness, admittedly relative, but not to be forgotten.
The "tripod" landing gear seems to be a mistake of the secondary sources, it is not initially reported since we were only told of a landing gear without indicating that it would have had three feet.
This is unfortunate since this could have allowed deciding between the two other explanations I propose.
The helicopter is obviously possible. We are not even told if the thing was noisy or not.
The Samedi Soir journalists' experience consisted in driving around the area with a car that was probably camouflaged as a saucer, moving around in Martian disguise, and fleeing at the approach of "witnesses".
It will be objected, of course, that the journalists' car could not have flown away; this favors the explanation by a helicopter. But I have to note that the journalists fired firecrackers to make believe of the "saucer" departure, and that on the occasion, it was well indeed like that by witnesses. Here, I'm not too convinced of this possibility, since the "craft" took off vertically and then left horizontally. Plus, the journalists-pranksters were two, not three. This is why I think the least bad explanation, although unproven, would be that of the helicopter.
| Id: | Topic: | Severity: | Date noted: | Raised by: | Noted by: | Description: | Proposal: | Status: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ufology | Severe | October 23, 2009 | Patrick Gross | Patrick Gross | Nature of report unknown: directly from witness to Alain Gamard, newspaper article, letter, investigation report...? | Closed. | Closed. |
| 2 | Ufology | Severe | October 23, 2009 | Patrick Gross | Patrick Gross | No investigation report found. Story only. | Help needed. | Opened. |
| 3 | Ufology | Severe | October 23, 2009 | Patrick Gross | Patrick Gross | No investigation report found. Story only. | Help needed. | Opened. |
| 4 | Ufology | Severe | October 23, 2009 | Patrick Gross | Patrick Gross | No indication whether the craft was silent or noisy. Possibility of helicopter not evaluated. | Help needed. | Opened. |
| 5 | Ufology | Severe | October 23, 2009 | Patrick Gross | Patrick Gross | Single witness case. | Help needed. | Opened. |
| 6 | Ufology | Severe | October 23, 2009 | Patrick Gross | Patrick Gross | Missing basic information, such as precise date, distance of observation, etc. | Help needed. | Opened. |
Extraterrestrial visitors or helicopter.
* = Source I checked.
? = Source I am told about but could not check yet. Help appreciated.
| Main Author: | Patrick Gross |
|---|---|
| Contributors: | None |
| Reviewers: | None |
| Editor: | Patrick Gross |
| Version: | Created/Changed By: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | October 23, 2009 | Creation, [ez1], [js1], [dj1], [ar1], [lc1], [ud1], [ud2]. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | October 23, 2009 | First published. |
| 1.1 | Patrick Gross | August 13, 2013 | Addition [pr1]. |
| 1.2 | Patrick Gross | December 21, 2016 | Addition [jg1]. |
| 1.5 | Patrick Gross | February 5, 2019 | Additions [mf1], [lh1], [pr2]. Point to Consider changed, were "The landing 'tripod' seems to be a confusion in the secondary sources, it is not in the initial sources where only a landing gear is mentioned without indication that it would have had three feet. See the List of Issues." |
