Two pilots flying a private jet over Ohio were left stunned after spotting a mysterious metallic object resembling a giant pill near their aircraft, only to be told by air traffic controllers that nothing unusual was showing on radar.
The encounter took place on August 16 near Tiffin, Ohio, as the pilots approached a massive thunderstorm at an altitude of 41,000 feet.
According to a report released by the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) on October 26, the unidentified object appeared to emerge from storm clouds directly ahead of the aircraft.
The pilots described it as a vertically positioned, silver-coloured cylinder with a highly reflective surface, no visible wings and no flashing lights.
One pilot estimated that the object measured at least 30 feet in height and passed within approximately two miles of their jet.
Concerned about a possible collision, the crew contacted Cleveland air traffic control to check whether another aircraft or weather balloon was operating nearby.
However, controllers reported no corresponding object on radar. The jet’s onboard collision-warning system also detected nothing.
The sighting lasted approximately two minutes, during which one pilot managed to photograph the object using his iPhone.
NUFORC investigator Ben Hansen subsequently obtained air traffic control recordings and radar information through a Freedom of Information Act request.
Investigators considered whether the object could have been a weather balloon but found no matching launch records.
The pilot also questioned whether a balloon could have survived the severe weather conditions, which later caused engine icing and moderate turbulence during the flight.
Although the object remains unidentified, investigators have not ruled out a conventional explanation.
