RCMP Report
Division B
Sub-Division St. John's
Gander Airport Detail
Date: 11 Nov 74
RCMP File References
74-B-400-53 (Div. File)
74-400-3 (Det. File)
Telex #GANAIR 109
Telex #GANAIR 110
Report of - Gander International Airport
Gander, Nfld. 10 OCT 74
10 OCT 74
1. On the above date, at approximately 10:45 p.m. (Atlantic Time) a report of a possible sighting of an Unidentified Flying Object (U.F.O.) in the Central Newfoundland area was made to the Gander Airport Detail Office.
2. The sighting in question was made at approximately 10:10 p.m. (Atlantic Time) by one (A)---- (name and address of pilot withheld but will be referred to as "A"), a three year veteran as an Air Traffic Controller now employed at the Gander Air Traffic Control Centre, was at the time of the sighting flying a Cessna aircraft, Canadian Registration C-GLCF. (A)---- was flying at an altitude of approximately 5,000 feet and experiencing clear skies with occasional cloudy periods and was returning to Gander, Nfld., from Deer Lake, Nfld.. When approximately 40 miles north-west of Gander, Nfld., (A)----, along with his only passenger, sighted the possible U.F.O.. (B)---- (name and address of passenger withheld) (A)----'s passenger [two words removed], first sighted the object just as they had passed over the town of Grand Falls, Nfld., a small town situated approximately 60 miles west of Gander, Nfld..
3. The object was described by (A)---- as being a solitary greenish, aluminous light. When first noticed by (A)----, the light was directly below (A)----'s aircraft at an altitude of approximately 3,000 feet. (A)----'s first interpretation of this greenish light was that his starboard aviation light may have been reflecting on something below. He then turned off all his aviation lights for a moment, nevertheless, the greenish light continued directly below the aircraft. (A)---- at this time, along with (B)----, attempted to determine whether or not the greenish light was part of a bigger unlighted mass, however, this met with negative results as nothing but the greenish light could be noted.
4. (A)---- further stated that at this time the Cessna was travelling at a speed of approximately 134 m.p.h.and that the greenish light could, and did, at times speed up and remain some distance ahead of the aircraft, still at approximately 3,000 feet. This greenish light would then slow down and allow (A)---- to once again get directly above it. The light would then continue to slow down more, and as a result, lag some distance behind and then go back to its original position below (A)----'s aircraft. (A)----'s observation period of this greenish light lasted approximately 25 minutes.
5. When approximately 5 to 6 miles north-west of Gander, Nfld., (A)---- contacted the Air Traffic Control Centre and advised them of what was taking place. Controllers at the Air Traffic Control Centre then attempted to pick up this object on their radar screen. One (C)----, (name withheld) the supervising controller on duty at the time, advised that a target was picked up by their 6 mile radar, however, the object remained on the screen for only two sweeps of the radar needle. The target did not show up on the screen as an aircraft. The target did, however, indicate while on the screen that its course had now changed from a north-west course to a westerly course and that the reason it could no longer be picked up on radar was that it was now believed to be flying at tree-top level. Continued attempts to regain contact with the target on radar met with negative results. (A)----, upon arriving over the Gander area, circled his aircraft in an attempt to further identify the object, however, upon circling, all traces of the greenish light were gone.
6. Continual attempts to further identify the greenish light in question by both the Air Traffic Controllers and (A)---- met with negative results. (C)----, upon losing all contact with the target on radar, contacted the authorities connected with the Early Warning defensive system at Goose Bay, Nfld., and notified them of the incident.
7. Upon the landing of (A)----'s aircraft at Gander International Airport, both (A)---- and (B)---- were immediately contacted. It was noted at this time that neither (A)---- nor (B)---- appeared to be under any sort of influence from either alcohol or a drug. Their accounts of the incident are neither exaggerated nor are they dramatized and both (A)---- and (B)---- appear to be of a mature and responsible nature.
11 OCT 74
8. On this date, at approximately 4:45 a.m. (Atlantic Time) another report of a possible sighting of an Unidentified Flying Object in the Central Newfoundland area was once again made at the Gander Airport Detail Office.
9. This apparent sighting was made approximately 4:15 a.m. (Atlantic Time) by the Captain as will as by the Co-Pilot of a DC-8 jet liner. The aircraft in question was "Capital Airlines" jet, bearing American Registration N-490C, and at the time of the sighting, the aircraft was descending in order to land at Gander International Airport for a technical stopover. The weather at this time was once again clear with occasional cloudy periods. The DC-8 was flying at an altitude of approximately 7,5000 feet and cruising at a speed of 290 miles per hour, proceeding in a westerly direction.
10. The object, in this case, was described by the Captain as well as by the Co-Pilot as being an object of undistinguishable shape or size, flashing red and white lights. The object apparently pulled alongside the DC-8 jet liner and continued on a parallel course with the aircraft. This sighting lasted for approximately 5 to 7 minutes. When the aircraft was approximately 5 miles west of Gander, Nfld., the object in question, still travelling alongside the DC-8, entered a somewhat small could formation and disappeared. The object in question was further described as being able to keep up to the DC-8, and at times would speed up slightly, just ahead of the DC-8 and then would return back alongside the aircraft.
11. Both the Captain and the Co-Pilot stated, that in their opinion, the object was not an aircraft. (D)---- (name withheld), the supervising controller on duty at the time, advised that no other aircraft were reported to be in the area at the time of the incident. (D)---- further stated that their radar monitors at the Gander Air Traffic Control Centre, did not pick up any other targets except the descending DC-8. (D)----, once again contacted the Early Warning defensive system at Goose Bay, Nfld., and notified the authorities at that point of the above.
12. In compliance with existing instructions, a copy of this report as been forwarded direct to the Upper Atmosphere Research Section, Astrophysics Branch, NRC, Ottawa.
CONCLUDED HERE
Cst. ------ #-------
Gander Airport Detail
Pwt: Sgt. ----
I/C Gander Airport Detail
Attached to Report N74/076 000022 Reel T-1742
