On This Date in 1965, The Kecksburg, PA UFO Incident Occurred 57 Years Ago
From: Researcher Stan Gordon
This is a sculpt depiction of the Kecksburg UFO created by Ron Lanham of Wild & Weird West Virginia www.wildandweirdwv.com
It was on December 9, 1965, that news was breaking on Pittsburgh area radio and television that a fiery object had been observed in the sky by multitudes of witnesses. Whatever that object was reportedly had fallen in a wooded area not far from Kecksburg in Westmoreland County.
I was 16 years old when that incident occurred, and I already had an interest in the UFO subject, so I began to document the information as it was airing that evening. I had no idea that my search to find the answers as to what had actually taken place near Kecksburg, would continue throughout my life.
Over the years I interviewed hundreds of people who had knowledge about that incident. Sadly, many witnesses have now passed away. They never learned the identity of what the object was that according to eyewitnesses was hauled away from the impact site on a military flatbed tractor trailer covered with a tarp.
There are others who are around that still remember that day very well. They recall the activity around the Kecksburg area that evening, and they know that something important occurred there for the military to have responded so quickly to that rural community. They are still hoping for answers.
I have no doubt that there are individuals still with us who have never come forward that were involved with the Kecksburg incident and may recall some important details that could help solve this incident. Over many years, various individuals swear that they saw black and white photos of the crashed object and even of some of the military vehicles that were around Kecksburg that day. None of those pictures have ever surfaced. If you have any of those photos, they could help to solve this case.
Regardless, if this object was manmade or something stranger, after so many years, the public should be told what the object was that fell so many years ago.
Now that the U.S. government is taking UFO/UAP incidents seriously, this topic is no longer a laughing matter. Maybe there is someone out there who has knowledge about the Kecksburg incident that will come forward and finally give closure to this 57 year old mystery.
If you have any information on this case, I can be contacted at 724-838-7768 or via email at: paufo@comcast.net.
I wrote the following article on the Kecksburg case last year. It does provide some interesting details concerning some of my findings.
The following information concerning some recent incidents was received from researcher Ron Lanham of Wild and Weird West Virginia. https://www.wildandweirdwv.com/
The following links have detailed reports concerning the high tech research that this group conducted on October 14-15, 2022 in nearby West Virginia. The first case concerns the possible thermal image recordings of a Bigfoot. The next day the team and some guests return to the area to gather more information and they experience some odd equipment malfunctions as well as some unusual radiation readings. They soon observe and record some very interesting thermal observations of anomalous luminous objects maneuvering in the sky for a period of time.
The West Virginia research team has investigated Bigfoot sightings and UAP/UFO incidents in past years that are similar to some of the cases that I have been investigating for many years, and in recent weeks and months in Pennsylvania.
This is a summary of the case based on phone interviews. No In person interview has taken place as of 16 October.
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On Monday the 10th, I received a call from the witness’s wife. She was inquiring for her husband about what he claimed. According to her, he awoke about 6 O’clock and got up to read the morning paper because he couldn’t get back to sleep. I recommended he contact me directly rather than just getting the story second hand.
He called me later on the 10th and gave me the following background. He said he woke up and was planning to get the newspaper and read awhile until his wife got up. He put on his robe and slippers and went out the front door. The walk to the paper box is about fifty feet long and goes from the porch out to the road. When he got to the steps from the porch to the walk, he saw a glowing white ball of light.
It was at the end of the walk and about eye level. It appeared to be about 10 – 12 inches in diameter and was between him and the paper box. At this point the witness got extremely sleepy and initially could not recall what happened next. Later in a second interview on October 13 he said he remembered the light moved to the side, and he felt a “calling” he should go out and get his newspaper. He did so then returned to the porch. At this time the ball of light had moved between him and the porch. It was still above the walk, but in front of the steps. He said he was getting sleepy to the point he could not stay awake and the object appeared to be making a slow circular motion. This was all he could recall.
On the 13th, I also interviewed his wife regarding her part in this. She said he was getting up to read the Sunday paper because he couldn’t sleep. Note: the discrepancy in “Sunday Paper” and the Saturday date of the event is because the Uniontown paper no longer issues a Sunday edition. they put it out on Saturday as a Weekend edition.) She says she dozed off again and woke a bit before 7:00 and got up. She went to the living room expecting to find her husband in his favorite chair. Instead, it was empty, and she could see him out the front door on the porch sitting in a chair asleep. Seeing he was not dressed for 40 degree weather she immediately went out and tried to wake him. She said it was hard to get him to wake, but finally he did. They went back inside, and he gradually came around.
At first, he did not know what he was doing but eventually he became more alert and related the story to her just as he initially did for me. It was at that time he added the part I mention above about the light blocking his path as he came back from the paper box. She also added that he did have his newspaper when she woke him which indicates at some point, that he did make it to the paper box and returned to the porch.
I again contacted both of them 16 October and neither has anything new to add, but both did relate the story again as they did earlier. No changes noted in the details provided.(I also inquired about any medical conditions, no action taken nor plans to do so.)
Nothing new has happened since the initial event as of 16 October.
Small Sphere Appears Inside a House Five Feet from Witness
It was three days later about forty miles away that another low level ball of light incident occurred in the Laurel Highlands. This case however is even more intriguing as it reportedly occurred inside of a house. I interviewed the witness in person and did a follow up telephone interview as well.
The witness told me that she awakened at 2:30 AM and went to the bathroom. When she came out of the bathroom, she noticed about five feet away something unusual in the living room. There was a high ceiling in that older home and hovering several feet below the ceiling was a deep blue colored sphere about a foot and a half in diameter. Inside the sphere the witness observed a gray swirling mass that looked similar to the motion of a lava lamp. The object was silent as it moved slightly up and down.
The witness recalled taking one step toward the sphere. That is when she felt a slight tingling sensation. She said that sensation reminded her of a pre-jolt of electricity when she was near an electric fence. She recalled looking at the strange round object for about ten seconds, then suddenly became very sleepy. She immediately went into the bedroom and went to sleep. She stated to me that that experience was “so stinking weird” as she didn’t understand why she didn’t keep watching the odd object in her home.
She also told me that it was very unusual for her to just have fallen to sleep so fast after seeing the object since she suffers from insomnia and would normally have never gone into a deep sleep so quickly. When she awakened the next day, she felt very sluggish and groggy for hours.
In the rural area where this incident took place and not known to the witness, I have been receiving other reports from locals who have been experiencing strange incidents in the woods as well as others who reported UFO sightings.
Historical Low Level Mini-UFO Cases:
October, 2017-Small Haystack Shaped Object Glides Inches Over Driveway
An even stranger mini-UFO encounter took place in late October near Fayette City, PA in Fayette County. Early that morning, a man went outside to warm up his wife’s car. As he walked down the steps he looked toward her car and saw something only about 10-12 feet away by the right bumper. The lights were on and the area around the car was well illuminated. The witness said he saw an object that was about two feet tall, and shaped like a haystack. The object was translucent, and shiny, and a milky-white color. There were vertical ribs that seemed to be the superstructure that looked like chrome straws that could be seen through the translucent structure. The object which was silent was gliding 1-2 inches off the ground, was motionless when he first saw it.
Whatever the object was, after several seconds it must have realized that the witness had approached until he was about 6 feet from it. It suddenly zoomed extremely fast across the driveway to the left side of the car, then made a perfect right angle turn along the driver’s side of the car into the dark and was not seen again. The entire incident lasted only seconds. The witness wished he had his cell phone with him so he could have taken a picture. The witness has no idea what he saw but feels that it may have been some type of a probe.
Sketch of mini-haystack object used with permission of the witness
About 4:30 PM I received a call from a nearby witness who is aware I investigate unusual events. A transcript of his narrative follows:
“I was coming home from Masontown on the Bowood Road. As I went over the top of a rise, I saw this ball in the road just sitting there. It was about 2 feet across and was blocking the road. I couldn’t get around it so I stopped .I sat there for a minute then decided to get out and move it so I could continue home. I even thought about taking it home as a oddity. But when I opened the car door it started to just fade away. Not quick. It took a few seconds to vanish. But then it disappeared. It never moved, just faded away. I closed the door and wondered, what the hell was that? After that I just went on home, nothing else to say.”
I asked a few questions and got some additional information. He said the object was silvery gray in color.. No details, just a sphere about 2 feet in diameter. He could not recall if there was a shadow under it. (Weather was mostly cloudy but still should have caused a darkening under the object.) He stopped about 50 feet away from the object. Beyond that he had no other details to report. No physical evidence was seen or obtained. A few leading questions provided no additional reliable information. Limited data, no other witnesses present.
There are other low level ball of light incidents continuing to be reported from other areas. In recent weeks UFO sightings have been reported from various locations in the Keystone state. I am also currently looking into recent Bigfoot sightings reported in western Pennsylvania. Other unusual incidents such as loud booms heard over widespread areas are also being reported.
If you are aware of any unusual incidents specially in recent weeks, please contact me either via phone at 724-838-7768 or email: paufo@comcast.net.
Reports of UFO/UAP sightings continue to be very active in Pennsylvania during 2022. There was a surprising surge of low level observations reported during the fall and winter months of 2021, and sightings have continued steadily throughout 2022. There have been numerous daylight observations of unusual objects in the sky as well. The public is reporting observations of triangular, spherical, cigar, and rectangular shaped objects.
What I consider to be even more fascinating are the increase in reports of smaller generally spherical objects that are low to the ground and reportedly have been approaching within feet of witnesses in some cases. These encounters with mini-UFOs as I have called them for many years, are taking place in daylight as well as during the night.
I have been investigating such cases since the 1960s in Pennsylvania. These objects range in size from a few inches to about a foot or two in diameter. There have been many reports that described the objects as looking about the size of a golf ball or baseball. In some cases, the objects appear to be solid metal, however most witnesses describe these objects as luminous globes of various colors. I have investigated cases where these objects have paced moving vehicles and have entered homes and vehicles through open windows.
In more recent years witnesses in wooded areas of Pennsylvania where there has been a history of Bigfoot encounters are also reporting observing these smaller luminous objects as well as other luminous phenomena. I am aware that similar reports are taking place in many areas across the country as well.
There has been an increase in observations of these smaller objects since March of 2022, and these reports have continued during the last week. There have been observations of these objects from rural wooded areas, as well as more populated housing communities.
I am interested in hearing from any Pennsylvania residents who may have seen anything unusual recently or in the past. I can be contacted by phone at 724-838-7768 or via email at paufo@comcast.net.
The following is a brief synopsis of some of the UFO and mini-UFO cases that have been reported. There are also some links that will give you additional details on other sightings as well.
01-05-22-4:40 AM-Latrobe-The witness was outside and noticed two white lights and a red light in the middle of an object. Then multiple Lights came on the underside of the object. It looked like a circuit board with numerous lights and what looked like solid pipes connected to some of them. The object made a low humming sound and was very low in altitude and estimated to be about 70 feet high. It was between her yard and the neighbor’s yard. At the closest point it was about 50-60 feet away. There were about five rows of about 20 white round non-blinking lights. The pipes that seemed solid were on both sides of the panel and seemed to be connected to the top row. The object moved slow with lights on. The shape of the object was not determined but the panel section looked to be 7-8 feet long.
01-15-22-A man who lived in rural Armstrong county was concerned that his water line under the house was freezing up during a local deep freeze, so he went outside after 3 AM. He was partly inside a crawl space when he heard a strange humming-clicking sound from outside behind him. The next day his neighbor called him and told him about the strange object that he saw hovering over his barn across the road during the time that he was in the crawl space.
I was able to interview both of the witnesses involved. The neighbor told me that he awakened at about 3:45 AM by the sound of his horses being disturbed by something. “The horses were running around in a tizzy.” The man began to walk toward the barn. He approached to about 150 feet from the barn when some lights appeared over the barn. The lights were shining down, and he could see the horses moving around. That’s when he saw an object hovering about 20 feet above the barn. The object looked somewhat tear drop shaped about 65-70 feet long. The object had a smooth silver or metallic look that looked similar to stainless or galvanized steel. “It looked solid and smooth.” The object was emitting a humming and buzzing sound.
There were numerous lights across the surface of the object that looked round. There were approximately 8 rows of 20-30 lights. The lights would change from red to blue than back to a red color. The man watched the object hover for about 5 minutes. His camera phone was in the house. As he watched the lights suddenly went out, everything went dark, and the object just disappeared. He did not see the object move away from the area. The horses seem to go back to their normal behavior just seconds after the object vanished.
During January and February of 2022, I was receiving information from witnesses and UFO researchers that sightings of large triangular objects and other types of UFOs were being reported from around the Kittanning area and other sections of Armstrong county.
Mid- March 2022- Mount Pleasant Township. About dawn, the witness heard an odd sound and looked out the window. That is when “a great big round circle with lights on it” was observed over the trees. It was round with no wings and spinning as it was moving steadily over trees and then over the roof of the house as continued out of the area.
Mid-March 2022-Small spheres of light low to the ground and among the trees, as well as beams of light were reported at an undisclosed rural location on the Pennsylvania-New York border where there has been a history of various anomalies from UFOs to Bigfoot encounters.
April 14, 2022-Ligonier, PA- During the afternoon, independent witnesses observed a huge solid elongated metallic object with multiple lights on the structure at tree top level. One witness reported the lights were so bright that it hurt her eyes.
April 16, 2022-A team of Bigfoot researchers are investigating in an undisclosed area of Fayette county where the sounds of howls and screams and something heavy walking in the woods have been reported along with nearby Bigfoot sightings. Several of these people were quite alarmed as mysterious balls of light approached very close to them that evening.
April 28, 2022-Towards Monroeville-The object observed that evening had a solid outline and was football shaped. The ends were somewhat pointed, like the ends of a football. There were many lights on the object, only some were blinking. There were 7 red lights in the center of the object. On top was a red, white, and yellow light. 3 red lights on the top. On the bottom were red, green, white, and red lights. The object looked quite large at that distance. The object was moving steadily through the sky toward Pittsburgh. No sound could be heard from that distance. He watched the object for about 90 seconds. The object was lost from sight among the trees.
June 3, 2022-Pittsburgh area-At 4:30 AM, the witness noticed a bright light outside illuminating the area. About 50 yds away he sees a large solid round white light emitting a foggy bright glow illuminating the road and surroundings. It was just hovering. He heard no sound from inside the house. The object was about the size of a car. Witness watched it for 2-3 minutes and as he watched, it suddenly just vanished and was gone.
June 5, 2022-Greensburg, PA Route 30-About 5:30 or 6 PM the witness was at the red light and looked up into the clear blue sky toward the west. He noticed a silver, cigar shaped object that was motionless. He watched it while stopped for about 10 seconds and saw it when it suddenly just vanished and disappeared. The witness was certain it was not a plane and could not believe what he saw.
June 9, 2022-Latrobe area- At about 3:30 AM, the witness was awakened by his dog that seemed disturbed. The man thinking the dog needed to go for a walk opened the back door and observed a small bright sphere that was described as being about three inches in size, perfectly round and brilliant white. The object was about 5 feet above the ground moving in front of a tree in the fenced yard. The light from the object was bright however it did not radiate any light onto the surroundings. The object moved slowly just a few inches from the tree to the left side about a foot or two then stopped, and then lowered another foot before it headed back around the tree and moved off in the distance.
June 22, 2022- Greensburg- During the early morning hours, a resident in a housing development outside of town, was alerted by his ring security system of some movement near their home. When they looked at the video footage, they observed a strange small sphere of light moving around their porch.
June 22, 2022-Fayette county-In a wooded area, during the early morning hours a family notices a small sphere of light captured on a game camera.
06-28-22-Altoona, PA- This occurred about 5 miles from town at around 9:30 AM. The witness observed a large object below the clouds that was low over his car. The driver looked up underneath the object from the car window. It was a large solid round object of a red copper color with a hollow bottom and windows around it.
July 2022-During the first two weeks of July, daylight reports from several counties of wingless cigar shaped objects that in some cases just vanished from sight or in one case entered a cloud but never exited from it.
07-19-22-Elizabeth, PA-A man, and his son that evening observe a very large triangular object hovering about 200 feet over the Monongahela river. The object while hovering pivoted while being observed. The object was very large, and the corner tips of the object extended to both sides of the river. There were three white lights and one smaller red light on the object.
07-28-22-Ligonier-At a rural location just a few miles out of town, at about 3 AM, a witness is awakened and observes a small bright blue ball of light about a foot in diameter. The sphere is about 8-10 feet away and bobbing up and down in front of the bedroom window. The object is brilliant however it is not casting any light on the surrounding area.
07-30-22-Fayette County-Members of the Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society & Fay-West Paranormal were investigating in that undisclosed location where many strange occurrences have taken place between the Chestnut and Laurel Ridge and referred to as Area X. That evening they encountered two baseball size balls of light, one red and one white. One object was about 5 feet above the ground. The other sphere appeared to be on the ground. After a short time, the objects suddenly just vanished and were not seen again.
08-09-22-Latrobe- At a rural area location a few miles from town, the witness who couldn’t sleep at 2:30 AM, looked out the window and observed about 200 feet away, a large object hovering somewhat higher than tree top level. The witness described the object as solid, big, and round and shaped somewhat like a cantaloupe. The object was a very bright orange and red color and glowed brightly. There was some minimal illumination extending beyond the object. There were small green and blue lights on the bottom of the object. They would alternate on and off, but never on at the same time.
08-09-22-This incident took place in a rural area of Greene county. This report was forwarded to me by my research associate Jim Brown. This took place during the evening. There was no storm activity in the area at the time. Walking past a window, the resident observed a bright yellow white sphere about 20 feet away that was about 10 inches in diameter. It was stationary at the time. The witness called his son who also saw it. They went to another window, and they still observed it. He tried to take a picture with his phone camera, however he could not see the sphere on the screen, however he could with his eyes. They obtained a standard digital camera and once again, they could not see the orb, however they could see the surrounding trees.
They couldn’t understand why they couldn’t see it with both cameras. They then located an old film camera, and interestingly they could see the sphere and surroundings through that viewfinder. That camera is of course a different technology than the two other digital types. After about 5 minutes the sphere began to move off slowly then just stopped a couple seconds. The object then quickly rose in altitude and moved over the field and vanished.
Kecksburg (PA) UFO Festival To Bring Out Of This World Fun-July 22-24, 2022
Stan Gordon standing next to the mockup of the Kecksburg UFO on the Kecksburg V.F.D. grounds.
The Kecksburg UFO Festival is returning this year with fun for the entire family. The event will be held July 22-24, 2022, on the Kecksburg Volunteer Fire Department grounds, at 5128 Water Street, Mt. Pleasant, PA 15666. The phone number for information is: 724-423-9540.
Friday night is half food price night to enjoy the fire departments legendary burgers, fresh cut fries and hot dogs. There will be music by DJ Mike. There will be ongoing events both outside and inside. Friday night the ground hours is 6-11 PM, and the hours inside the social hall is 6-9 PM.
Inside the social hall you will find arts and craft venders. Also, you can talk with UFO, Bigfoot, and Paranormal researchers who will have display tables. All of the speakers who will attend the Sunday conference will have tables inside as well. There will be more arts and craft venders outside along with many attractions for the adults and children such as a blacksmith, wood carver, and food vendors.
Saturday the ground hours is noon until 11 PM, and the social hall hours is noon until 9 PM. Some of the Saturday features will be the parade at 2 PM, The famous bed race at 4 PM, The Shanklin Family bands from 7-10 PM, and fireworks at 10 PM.
Sunday at 12:30 PM the Kecksburg V.F.D. features their famous, “UFO Hot Dog Eating Competition.”
The UFO-Bigfoot-Paranormal Conference will take place Sunday from 1-4 :30 PM in the EMS building on the Kecksburg V.F.D. grounds. A donation at the door is appreciated to help support the fire department.
The speakers at this years, conference include Stan Gordon- UFO-Bigfoot investigator and author. This year marks 63 years of his research. Stan will give an update on some of the most interesting, strange encounters that have taken place in Westmoreland county and the greater Pittsburgh area in the last few years and recent weeks. Stan is the principal investigator of the 1965 Kecksburg UFO incident. He continues to receive and investigate current UFO, Bigfoot, and cryptid encounters. His website is: www.stangordon.info.
Eric Altman- is a Cryptozoologist, specializing in researching the Bigfoot/Sasquatch phenomenon with a combined 40 years of study and field research. He is a well-respected field investigator, contributing author, founder and Director of the Pennsylvania Cryptozoology Society and Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society. Eric was also the host and co-founder of Beyond the Edge Radio, a live weekly radio program covering a variety of paranormal and fringe topics from 1997 to 2019. Eric will give an illustrated presentation about the strange ongoing happenings along the Chestnut Ridge.
Dave Spinks- Air-Force veteran and retired Federal law enforcement officer has been investigating researching and documenting the paranormal for the last three decades. During his thousands of investigations, he has had death defying situations and hair raising accounts that pushes the boundaries of belief while answering man’s three greatest questions, What happens when we die? Are we alone in the universe? Are there unknown creatures walking among us? He will present a program called “West Virginia and Southwest PA and Modern UFOlogy.”
Patty A. Wilson-Author, historian, and paranormal researcher Patty A. Wilson has lived her entire life in Pennsylvania researching, investigating and writing about Pennsylvania’s extensive paranormal history. She works in the field of psychology and has been investigating the paranormal and documenting it for nearly thirty years. To date, Ms. Wilson has written 28 books including Haunted Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania’s Lost Treasures. Her program is called, “Haunted History”–Ghost stories often come with historical legends, folk tales and rumors attached, but how do you weed through them to find out what actually happened at an historical site?
Enlargement of the object used with permission of the witness
On the afternoon of May 14, 2022, a witness was in his vehicle sitting in a parking lot in the Latrobe, Pennsylvania area when he happened to look up into the sky. That is when he observed an object that was moving at high altitude among the clouds.
The object was moving over a section of the Chestnut Ridge east of Latrobe. What caught the attention of the witness was that the object at first seemed to be moving slowly across the sky then suddenly there was a burst of speed as the object moved out of sight. He was only able to observe it for about 20 seconds.
The witness stated that the object whatever it was appeared black in color, but he could not determine the shape at that distance. He felt that the object would have been quite large for him to see it and photograph it at that altitude. The object can clearly be seen in the photo.
The picture was examined by research associate Jim Brown (www.jimsdestinations.com) who has been analyzing UFO pictures and videos for many years. The photo appears to show a solid black, upside down, domed shaped object with a flat top.
Photo of the object over the Chestnut Ridge used with permission of the witness
The following is Jim Brown’s analysis of the photograph.
UFO Image submitted for analysis.
The image as submitted was processed, and the following EXIF data extracted:
Main Information
Photometic Interpretation : Unknown (34892)
Make : Apple
Model : iPhone 13 Pro
Orientation : left-hand side
XResolution : 72/1
YResolution : 72/1
Resolution Unit : Inch
Software : 15.4.1
Date Time : 2022:05:14 15:59:45
YCbCrPositioning : centered
ExifInfo Offset : 210
Sub Information
ExposureTime : 1/737Sec
FNumber : F2.8
Exposure Program : Program Normal
ISO Speed Ratings : 32
ExifVersion : 0232
DateTime Original : 2022:05:14 15:59:45
DateTime Digitized : 2022:05:14 15:59:45
Component Configuration : YCbCr
Shutter Speed Value : 1/737Sec
Aperture Value : F2.8
Brightness Value : EV10.0
ExposureBiasValue : EV0.0
MeteringMode : Division
Flash : Not fired(Compulsory)
FocalLength : 9.00(mm)
SubjectLocation : 1988,1549,2263,1351
MakerNote : Unknown Format : 1674Bytes (Offset:738)
SubSecTimeOriginal : 885
SubSecTimeDigitized : 885
FlashPixVersion : 0100
ColorSpace : sRGB
ExifImageWidth : 4032
ExifImageHeight : 3024
SensingMethod : OneChipColorArea sensor
SceneType : A directly photographed image
ExposureMode : Auto
WhiteBalance : Auto
FocalLength(35mm) : 77(mm)
SceneCaptureType : Standard
Unknown (A432)5,4 : 299253/190607,9/1,3/2,14/5
Unknown (A433)2,6 : Apple
Unknown (A434)2,43 : iPhone 13 Pro back triple camera 9mm f/2.8
I cropped the image to reduce overall file size and enhanced it by:
1. – Enlarging the object in the image by 500 % to show greater detail.
2. – Increasing the dynamic range across the area showing the object.
3. – Applying false color to increase contrast depth on the object itself.
The results of the processing show some artifacts created by the original compression. For example, note the top of the object and how it appears lighter in the enhancement. In addition, a slight halo can be seen surrounding the object. This effect is not seen as readily in the original image. A probable cause of this effect may be artifacts that are being introduced into the enlargement process. This gives a false coloration along the top of the object.
Another clue that indicates compression is file size The original image is only 52 K, which is very small for an original photograph. This is a common tactic used by phones to reduce file size. But in doing so, any subsequent enhancement, even using the Weimer Method which attempts to determine intermediate pixel weights, will be subject to loss of detail in the enhanced image.
With these caveats in mind, I went ahead and processed the enhancement. The results are seen in the attached image file being returned with this document.
I did a pixel weight scan in both horizontal and vertical across the object. This, plus the shutter speed data in the EXIF file can rule out any form of motion blur. The object as seen is in focus and not blurred due to camera movement.
I did a second pixel weight scan across the dark line at the top of the enhanced image. This line appears to be a phone cable or similar utility line above the vehicle. While definite distances are estimated, one can assume that the line is 50 – 100 feet away from the camera. The pixel weight scan matches the scan across the object. This would indicate the auto focus was at a point where both the object and the cable were in the same depth of field. Such data rules out a small object near the camera; the object in question was a considerable distance away.
The main issue is the resolution. Due to compression and artifacts in the image no details are present. This makes a final determination of exactly what the object is impossible to determine. Also note that the presence of clouds prevents any definitive shadows on the object; source light is diffused. The witness stated the object was moving slowly then jumped quickly out of sight. While this may be true, the single image here does not show any movement. Thus this aspect cannot be confirmed nor refuted since the single image shows only a single frame.
Image Enhancement used with permission of Jim Brown
The object in question appears solid, however no definitive conclusions can be made based on the data as provided.
Phone Disclaimer applies here. As with all images captured on phone cameras, the compression factor prevents ruling out hoaxing. While no intent at faking anything was detected, the resolution prevents actually confirming the validity of the image. Conclusions are based on these limitations and cannot be considered definitive.
Jim Brown
Independent Research Associate
=====================================
Addendum:
UFO sighting reports from Pennsylvania have continued throughout 2022. Some of these incidents have been explained. Sightings of the Starlink satellites have frequently been reported as they pass over.
There have also been reports of large, structured objects observed in some areas. UFO sightings have been reported in the Latrobe area, and from locations around the Chestnut Ridge. In recent weeks, daylight sightings of a very large solid object observed at low level were reported in the Ligonier area. There have also been close range observations of small spherical luminous objects low to the ground.
UFO Sightings Reported Yesterday Afternoon Near Ligonier, Pennsylvania- April 14, 2022
From: Researcher Stan Gordon
I have been receiving information that some unusual objects were observed in the sky yesterday afternoon, April 14, 2022, in the Ligonier area. I am still gathering information on the sightings at this time. If you saw anything unusual, please contact me at 724-838-7768 or email me at: paufo@comcast.net.
Since the 1960s, I have been investigating reports of small objects generally round in shape that are low to the ground and have approached within feet of witnesses even in daylight. I have been calling these objects mini-UFOs for many years. These objects sometimes appear to be solid and metallic in appearance while in other cases they are just luminous sources of various colors. There have also been cases of these objects entering vehicles and homes through open windows. In more recent years similar orbs of light are being reported in Pennsylvania and from around the country in locations that have a history of Bigfoot encounters.
The following report was submitted by researcher Jim Brown. Jim has been investigating UFO sightings and many other strange incidents from the Fayette county area for many years. Jim conducts a scientific approach when investigating these type of reports. Jim’s website is www.jimsdestinations.com.
The witnesses in this case thought they were looking at a small balloon floating through the area, but as the incident unfolded, the situation became stranger. I find this case of interest due to the details concerning the odd effects associated with the disappearance of the object.
Over the past few months from various locations in Pennsylvania, three low level UFO incidents were reported where witnesses were in close proximity to an unknown aerial object, and they all reported feeling a minor static charge taking place during the occurrence. You can read about those cases at this link:
Weather: Cloud cover, dry but rain in the forecast. Wind mostly calm. Slight breeze at times.
I was contacted by the witness who wanted to know if I had any ideas about what he experienced. I know him personally and he knows I investigate unusual activity. He wanted to know if I had ever heard anything like this. He made no claim of anything paranormal, just wanted his curiosity satisfied. Since I live nearby, I also did an onsite visit to obtain more details. A summary of my investigation follows: (Names were changed to protect identity.)
John and Mary were doing yard work. Mary was spreading some mulch around a couple trees in the yard, John was pushing a wheelbarrow with some topsoil and filling holes in the ground in the back yard. Mary saw something reflective in the field behind their house, about 50 feet away. She called to John to look since he was much closer to it. He looked up and saw a balloon drifting about ten feet above the fence line. He described it as one of those mylar balloons like they have at parties. It was silver and circular, about two feet in diameter.
He watched as it drifted closer to his location. John walked a bit closer to the brush at the edge of the field while Mary continued to watch it drift closer. Both agree on what happened next. Suddenly it got very bright white. Prior to this it simply looked like it was reflecting natural light, now it appeared to shine on its own. About two seconds later both witnesses saw it explode. At the same time what they described as a small lightning bolt shot from the explosion to the ground.
The explosion sounded like a small firecracker followed by a snap like a spark. This spark started a small fire where it struck the ground. John immediately grabbed his shovel and ran to put the fire out before it spread to rest of the field. He had the fire out after a couple hits with the shovel. It was then he noticed another wisp of smoke coming from the fence line about 100 feet away in the same direction where the object had just come. He ran down there and extinguished that fire as well. Both watched the field for a few minutes for any other signs of smoke, but Nothing more was seen.
That was when he decided to call me. I was on scene about 3:45 PM and checked both areas where the fires burned. Aside from the normal ash from the dried grass that had burned nothing was found. I checked carefully for any shredded mylar or other material where the object exploded, but nothing was found. Nor was any residue that might be attributed to a firecracker. The only other material present were some very rusted sections of barbed wire which was a remnant of an old fence that used to be located in that field. John said a neighbor used to keep cows in that field years ago. Neither witness had any idea of what they had just experienced.
As far as any history of paranormal activity, neither witness has had any personal experience. John is not interested in it at all and Mary’ s experience is she sometimes watches a few paranormal TV shows about ghosts. She has had no personal experiences.
Conclusions:
Based on the limited information no definitive conclusions could be reached. Regarding the two fires, it should be noted that only a single explosion or spark was reported. I did consider the possibility that the old, barbed wire might somehow conduct the current down to the second fire location, however, the pieces of wire lying on the ground were not isolated from the ground nor was the wire a complete circuit. Therefore, there was little chance of any electrical current flowing through the wire to make a complete circuit that could a cause fire. Numerous breaks were present where the wire had completely rusted away. This would prevent any electric current flow.
Jim Brown
Investigator
Addendum:
Additional UFO sightings and other anomalies have continued to be reported in recent weeks in Pennsylvania. If you have seen anything unusual, please get in contact with me.
I have been taking UFO reports from the public since 1969. I receive such sighting reports year round via phone and email. Traditionally, reports of UFO sightings decrease during the Fall and Winter months. That however was not the case during 2021. This ongoing series of UFO reports is interesting, since several cases are of low level UFO incidents. UFO sightings have been continually reported since October of 2021 and are continuing through March of 2022.
The following are brief summaries of some of the cases reported.
10-06-21- Apollo- A huge wingless object with red lights along the bottom that were not flashing was observed during the evening. Only the sound of something moving through the air was noticed. There were six smaller object following the larger object and they began to circle it. They had one bright white light non flashing. They then moved ahead of larger object and could no longer be seen as they moved beyond the trees . The main object continued to move away in the distance.
On October 24, 2021- A man driving north of Route 119 near the Scottdale-Mount Pleasant exit in Westmoreland County noticed something unusual in the sky. It was cloudy and overcast at the time, but what he saw was easily discernible. What he noticed was a round gray cloud that was lighter in color than the surrounding clouds. It looked to be about the size of a school bus from the distance he was observing it from. But the cloud-like object was flying erratically right and left, and up and down in the sky.
The witness described its movements as similar to a school of fish following a lead fish. The object was only about 300-400 feet in the sky and well below the cloud layer. The man observed it for about 10-15 seconds and didn’t have time to get out his cell phone to take a picture. Just as the witness was about to go under the Route 819 overpass, the object began to fade away and just suddenly disappeared. Moments later after exiting from the overpass, the object was no longer in the sky. The witness is sure that other motorists also saw the object. When he first noticed the object, five to six cars ahead of him all jammed on their breaks at the same time.
10-26-21- Near Meridian in Butler County, a witness driving in the area noticed some movement in the bushes near the road around dusk. A hair covered creature at least seven feet tall walking upright and moving very fast, moved to the right. It looked hairy, muddy, and matted. Within the hour in the same general area, witnesses reported observing an exceptionally large triangular object that a witness estimated was the size of three buses hovering about 100 feet above the ground. The object had a light in each corner. The object made no sound. The witnesses reported feeling a static electric charge while it was observed. (Via Dan Hageman of BORU.)
11-03-21- The witness was traveling on the Norvelt-Hecla Road in Westmoreland County about 7:45 or 8 PM. The driver had just crossed over the turnpike and when he saw a large bright white round object with a red tinge about 2,000 feet off the ground. He watched it for total of 20-25 minutes as he followed it and watched it hover over Alverton. He said it was glowing very bright, that the object was huge, and the size of a house. It ended up hovering in a location remarkably close to where the object was observed near the Mount Pleasant-Scottdale exit on October 24th. The picture the witness took shows a white oval shaped light in the sky.
Used with permission of the witness
11-11-21- A person driving on Route 119 just outside of Smithfield in Fayette County observed something unusual in the sky during the early evening. About fifty yards ahead, the driver saw an object barely moving that appeared quite low above the ground. There were three lights in a rounded triangular configuration that was described as similar to a “guitar pick in shape.” The lights looked perfectly circular, were non- blinking and orange-yellow in color and were the size of a large dinner plate. As she got closer, the silent object was to her left about ten yards away off the road. She passed below a section of the object that was about thirty feet above the ground. The witness had a dog in the car at the time that was also looking at the object. The driver touched the animal to comfort it and felt a static electric charge at that time. The driver said the object was only about ten feet long and six feet wide.
Mid November 2021- A man was exiting out of the Squirrel Hill Tunnel in Pittsburgh heading toward Forest Hills and getting off of that exit when he saw low in the sky three round lights of medium brightness that were orange-yellow in color and in a triangular configuration. Then suddenly, the spheres all took off in different directions into the sky and went out of sight.
12-13-21- Near Baggaley- During the early morning a witness noticed a white light that turned green then red, began to move left to right, then right to left, made a sharp right turn then went straight down and hovered over the top of the trees around that area of the Chestnut Ridge.
12-28-21- Clarion County- The witness was doing a chore outside around midnight when she heard a loud crack from behind her, she turned around and observed what she described as a soft rounded triangular object that had a non-blinking red light on the back and a row of round non-blinking lights at the bottom of the object. The object had a silver appearance to it, but when it approached closer it looked darker towards the bottom section. The silent object continued to move slowly across the sky.
12-30-21-Observed about 8:30 PM from around Scottdale looking toward Connellsville, A witness said the object was toward Melcroft in Fayette County. The object looked cigar shaped and skinny about 50-100 feet long possibly shiny. The object just disappeared in seconds.
01-05-22-4:40 AM-Latrobe-The witness was outside and noticed two white lights and a red light in the middle of an object. The shape could not be seen. Then multiple Lights came on the underside of the object. It looked like a circuit board with numerous lights and what looked like solid pipes connected to some of them. The object made a low humming sound and was very low estimated to be about 70 feet high (about 3 ranch homes high) and it was between her yard and the neighbor’s yard. At the closest point it was about 50-60 feet away.
When It was seen moving in the distance, it looked like a circuit board with numerous white lights and what looked like solid pipes connecting to some of them it was about 125 feet away. There were about five rows of about 20 white round non-blinking lights. The pipes that seemed solid were on both sides of the panel and seemed to be connected to the top row. The object moved slow with lights on. The shape of the object was not determined but the panel section looked to be 7-8 feet long.
During January and February of 2022, I was receiving information from witnesses and UFO researchers that sightings of large triangular objects and other types of UFOs were being reported from around the Kittanning area and other sections of Armstrong county. The following case is quite interesting.
01-15-22-A man who lived in rural Armstrong county was concerned that his water line under the house was freezing up during a local deep freeze, so he went outside after 3 AM. He was partly inside a crawl space when he heard a strange humming-clicking sound from outside behind him. The next day his neighbor called him and told him about the strange object that he saw hovering over his barn across the road during the time that he was in the crawl space.
I was able to interview both of the witnesses involved. The neighbor told me that he awakened at about 3:45 AM by the sound of his horses being disturbed by something. “The horses were running around in a tizzy.” The man began to walk toward the barn. He approached to about 150 feet from the barn when some lights appeared over the barn. The lights were shining down and he could see the horses moving around. That’s when he saw an object hovering about 20 feet above the barn.
The object looked somewhat tear drop shaped about 65-70 feet long. The object had a smooth silver or metallic look that looked similar to stainless or galvanized steel. “It looked solid and smooth.” The object was emitting a humming and buzzing sound. There were numerous lights across the surface of the object that looked round. There were approximately 8 rows of 20-30 lights. The lights would change from red to blue than back to a red color.
The man watched the object hover for about 5 minutes. His camera phone was in the house. As he watched the lights suddenly went out, everything went dark and the object just disappeared. He did not see the object move away from the area. The horses seem to go back to their normal behavior just seconds after the object vanished.
01-15-22-Sighting Report of Unknown object over trees-Pennsylvania/West Virginia border
Weather: Overcast, Temp 22 degreesF No precip. Clouds at 3,000 ft
Names withheld, Pseudonyms used.
Jane Doe was in her kitchen preparing breakfast. She decided to take out
her trash to a garbage container near her back porch. She went out the
door and saw what she described as a large dark hole in the sky. She
immediately went back inside to grab a camera to get a picture of it. When
she turned around to open her aluminum storm door she received a shock
like static electricity from the metal handle She went on inside , got
the camera and returned outside . She estimated this took no longer than
15 – 20 seconds.
But when she returned the dark object was gone. She went on out into the
yard and searched the sky but nothing was seen. After about 2 minutes
she gave up and went back inside. Again, she received the shock on the
aluminum door, only this time more severe.
After going inside, she called a nearby neighbor we’ll refer to as Sally .
She knew Sally had an interest in strange or paranormal events. Sally
dressed and went to Jane’s house to see what was going on. About 8:00 AM
she arrived and went to Jane’s kitchen door and knocked. As she reached
for the aluminum door she also received an electric shock when she touched
it. Neither of them could account for anything abnormal except for the
repeated shocks.
Sally had met me at a conference and had my card so she
called me about 8:30 and explained what was happening. I made
arrangements to take some equipment out to see if I could detect the cause
of the electrical activity as well as conduct an investigation into the
earlier sighting.
The two women opened the door several times as they endured the shock to
go outside and check for any activity. Nothing was found. They noticed
the intensity of the shock was decreasing over time and by about 9:00 AM
it was no longer felt.
I arrived at 9:20 and began my investigation. I did an EMF sweep and
found nothing unusual. A slight 60 Hz EM Field was present near the
refrigerator, which was near the door, but this was in the microvolt range
and not abnormal. A couple other EMF hits were found but those were
associated with power lines in the house. Both women were wearing rubber
soul running shoes and the kitchen floor was tile which would preclude the
possibility of a static electric charge being built up from their
activity.
The outside porch / patio was concrete which also would not
create such a static build up. I measured the resistance between the
aluminum door and Earth ground and found that while the door frame was not
actually grounded, continuity was less than 100 Ohms. This would bleed
off any static charge which might build up on the door. My conclusion
related to the shock is that in order for such condition to be present the
source would need to be continuously replaced. Static electricity would
be discounted. No source for such electricity was found, no power lines
in the house were in close proximity to the door or door frame. At this
time the cause of the electrical shock is unknown.
The investigation turned to the sighting itself. At 7:00 AM the sky was
relatively dark; only the first light of dawn was seen. Jane described
what she saw as a hole in the sky. There was a light in the center but
not as a light bulb. It was more like a glow coming from inside. No sound was heard.
No movement was observed, the dark object was just there when she went out and
was gone by the time she returned. I asked her if she thought the object was solid.
She said no; it was like looking into the object as you would look down a hall. It was darker near the opening and lighter further inside.
I made a couple sketches and what she described seems to match what you would
expect if you observed such an opening from an angle. This matches the conditions
I observed of her vantage point and the location of the tree line. Since it disappeared
she could make no attempt to actually get under it and look up into it.
At this point no conclusions have been determined, investigation will
continue.
============================
Follow up to report.
Date: 1 – 18 – 22
I did a follow up interview and spoke with the witness. Using a computer
generated image based on her description I positioned the image on a
photograph of the location where the object was seen. The size and
coloration was adjusted as needed to match as closely as possible the
conditions at the time of the sighting. The image attached here is the
result of that interview.
A search of the area around the tree line revealed no physical evidence.
I also contacted the neighbor. While the neighbor could not add anything
regarding the photograph I did question her regarding any subsequent
events. Neither the witness nor the neighbor reported anything
subsequent to the initial events.
As a part of the investigation, I also contacted the power company and
checked regarding any power interruptions at the time of the sighting.
None were filed Also no reports were received of any other sightings by
area 911 services.
I received no additional reports related to this from anyone in the area.
================================
Date: 2 – 22 – 2022
I contacted both the witness and neighbor by phone. There have been no
subsequent events in either person’s life related to this case. I will
carry this case as an unknown unless additional information is reported.
J. W Brown
02-19-22-Observed from the Crabtree area looking east-southeast-high in sky, witnesses see two bright star-like objects suddenly appear. Objects are positioned one above the other and they are slowly drifting downward. About a minute later the lower light begins to fade out and soon after the higher object also fades out and neither one is emitting light. They did not appear to reach the ground. The objects were in the direction of Latrobe and witnesses believe they were past the airport area and not that far from the Chestnut Ridge area.
02-19-22-Upper Yoder-Cambria County-7:45 PM-Observed for 3-4 minutes witness saw a red and white light blinking in sky thought at first to be an airplane. The object then began to make erratic movements. It went up and down, then would make small circles, and continued to do those maneuvers, until it just suddenly just disappeared.
UFO Sighting reports are continuing to be reported during March. If you have seen anything unusual, please get in touch with me via phone: 724-838-7768 or email: paufo@comcast.net.
2022 Kecksburg (PA) UFO Festival Conference Speaker Lineup
The Kecksburg UFO Festival is scheduled to take place July 22-24, 2022, at the Kecksburg V.F.D. grounds located at the 5128 Water Street, Mount Pleasant, PA 15666.
The Kecksburg UFO Festival Conference will be held on Sunday, July 24th from 1-4:30 PM, in the EMS building across from the community center. For more information call: 724-423-9540.
The speakers this year:
Stan Gordon-An Update On Recent UFO and Bigfoot Encounters and Other Strange Occurrences In The Pittsburgh Area.
Stan Gordon has been researching UFO sightings, Bigfoot encounters, and other mysterious events in Pennsylvania since 1959. Since then, he has been involved with the investigation of thousands of unusual incidents. He is the primary investigator of the 1965 UFO crash incident that occurred near Kecksburg, PA. Stan has been taking calls on UFO sightings and other strange reports from the public since 1969. He has given illustrated lectures both locally and nationally on the topics of UFOs, Bigfoot, and strange encounters since the late 1960s.
He is the producer of the award winning UFO video documentary, “Kecksburg The Untold Story.” Stan is the author of four books, Silent Invasion: The Pennsylvania UFO-Bigfoot Casebook, Really Mysterious Pennsylvania, Astonishing Encounters: Pennsylvania’s Unknown Creatures, and his latest book, Creepy Cryptids and Strange UFO Encounters of Pennsylvania.
Stan appears frequently on radio and television programs discussing his research on these topics. He has been interviewed for TV and radio programs nationally and internationally and has been seen on the History & Discovery Channel, SyFy Channel, Fox News Channel, Destination America Channel, and Unsolved Mysteries, as well as numerous other TV programs.
He was listed in the 2005 FATE Magazine special, The 100 Most Influential People in UFOlogy Today. In more recent years Stan has been featured in several films and documentaries about his research into UFOs and Bigfoot. 2019 will mark 60 years of research for Stan into these mysteries.Stan’s website is: www.stangordon.info.
Eric Altman-“Mysterious Chestnut Ridge.”
Eric Altman is a Cryptozoologist, specializing in researching the Bigfoot/Sasquatch phenomenon with a combined 40 years of study and field research. He is a well-respected field investigator, contributing author, founder and Director of the Pennsylvania Cryptozoology Society and Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society. Eric was also the host and co-founder of Beyond the Edge Radio, a live weekly radio program covering a variety of paranormal and fringe topics from 1997 to 2019.
Eric has been actively investigating cases, sighting claims and conducting field work dating back to 1997. He has investigated and assisted in investigating over 250 cases of Bigfoot sightings, encounters and claims in Pennsylvania and the surrounding states. Eric was an organizer of the East Coast Bigfoot Conference from 2000 to 2011. Beginning in 2016 he organized and hosted the Pennsylvania Bigfoot Camping Adventure, an annual charity fund raising event which has successfully concluded its third event in 2019.
Eric is a much sought-after public speaker on the topics of Bigfoot and other Cryptids for over 21 years. He has lectured and presented across the country dating back to 2000. Eric has been featured in multiple documentaries, films and television programs about Bigfoot. The most recent documentary film Mountain Devil 3 Travel channel “Paranormal Declassified,” and the Discovery Plus “Fright Club.” He will also be featured in the upcoming 8-episode series “Sasquatch Unearthed; The Ridge.” Eric has written for and contributed to several books and articles on the subject. He has been interviewed on hundreds of national radio programs and appeared as a featured guest on countless internet podcast shows. He has appeared in newspaper, magazine articles and various forms of print media. To learn more about Eric, visit his websites https://www.ericaltman.net. https: www.pabigfoot.com and https: www.pacryptosociety.com
Dave Spinks-West Virginia and Southwest PA and Modern UFOlogy
Dave Spinks, Air-force veteran and retired Federal law enforcement officer has been investigating researching and documenting the paranormal for the last three decades. During his thousands of investigations, he has had death defying situations and hair raising accounts that pushes the boundaries of belief while answering man’s three greatest questions, What happens when we die? Are we alone in the universe? Are there unknown creatures walking among us?
This multifaceted research, documentation, authoring over 7 books, combined with his knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences catapulted Dave to world renown TV & movie fame, highlighting his unapologetically authentic investigating style. His appearances vary from The Flatwoods Monster a legacy of Fear, (Small Town Monsters) several seasons of The UnXplained, Ghost Nation, Terror in the Woods, Expedition X, In Search of Monsters, Paranormal 911, Flatwoods the movie, These Woods are Haunted.
Dave has an extensive history on the lecturing circuit ranging from UFO, Cryptid, & paranormal conferences to speaking in schools to children of all ages. When not filming or speaking at conferences you can find Dave in his store Dave Spinks World of Weird, Richwood, WV
Patty Wilson-Haunted History
Haunted History–Ghost stories often come with historical legends, folk tales and rumors attached, but how do you weed through them to find out what actually happened at an historical site? Historian and author Patty A Wilson will share several cases where history made or broke a story. The author of Haunted Pennsylvania, The Big Book of Pennsylvania Ghost Stories and over a dozen more non-fiction collections of historical haunts explains just what it takes to bring a ghost story alive and how this will play into any paranormal investigation or documentation. Learn the story of a young man who died in the late 1700’s only to come back and kill his kin. Is this story only folklore or is it true? Learn the truth about the history of one of Pennsylvania’s most haunted taverns–the Jean Bonnet. And hear the story of a haunted tombstone and what the truth behind the story really is.
Author, historian, and paranormal researcher Patty A. Wilson has lived her entire life in Pennsylvania researching, investigating and writing about Pennsylvania’s extensive paranormal history. Ms. Wilson lives near her three sons and their families. She works in the field of psychology and has been investigating the paranormal and documenting it for nearly thirty years. To date, Ms. Wilson has written 28 books including Haunted Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania’s Lost Treasures, The Big Book of Pennsylvania Ghost Stories and A Ghost Hunter’s Tales.
Ms. Wilson has appeared on Travel Channel’s Mysterious Journeys, Biography Channel’s My Ghost Story and was a consultant for the first episodes of Ghost Hunters. Ms. Wilson hosts a Facebook page on the paranormal entitled The Paranormal Asylum and Ms. Wilson co-hosts The Paranormalist Podcast with Kenny Dodson where each week they discuss the paranormal, interview guests or share paranormal tales. Ms. Wilson lectures on the subject of the paranormal throughout Pennsylvania.
