Coyne Helicopter Incident (1973)

The Coyne helicopter incident occurred on October 18, 1973, in Mansfield, Ohio, and is considered one of the most well-documented UFO encounters involving a helicopter.

The incident began when a U.S. Army Reserve helicopter was on a routine training mission and encountered an unidentified flying object. The helicopter was piloted by Captain Lawrence J. Coyne, who was flying with two other crew members, First Lieutenant Arrigo Jezzi and Sergeant John Healey.

As they were flying at approximately 4,000 feet, they noticed a bright red light in the sky that seemed to be following them. Captain Coyne tried to communicate with the object, but received no response. He then tried to fly away from the object, but it continued to follow them.

The object suddenly descended and came to a stop directly in front of the helicopter, causing it to go into a state of uncontrolled descent. Captain Coyne managed to regain control of the helicopter and land safely, but the object had disappeared.

The incident was investigated by the U.S. Air Force, who concluded that the object was likely a weather balloon or a type of helicopter. However, many UFO enthusiasts and researchers have challenged this explanation and believe that the object was a genuine UFO.

In an intriguing episode of “Sightings” hosted by Tim White, the focus shifted to a lesser-known yet potentially groundbreaking UFO sighting in Mansfield, Ohio. Despite its significance, this incident remained largely under the radar, with key witnesses either unable or unwilling to speak out until decades later. The event unfolded on the evening of October 18, 1973, when Detective John Healey, a former medic in the US Army, encountered something extraordinary. Healey, along with three Army Reserve colleagues, was flying back to Cleveland in a helicopter after an annual physical examination when they came across an unidentified flying object.

Healey’s recorded testimony from the following day provides a chilling account of their experience. The object, described as cigar-shaped with a steady red light at its front and a green light emanating from its rear, seemed to defy conventional aircraft characteristics, lacking windows or wings. This encounter wasn’t just witnessed by Healey; all four crew members observed the UFO, and the pilots even filed official military reports.

As the UFO approached their helicopter, it seemed to take aggressive maneuvers, prompting the pilot to dive the aircraft in an attempt to avoid a collision. However, in a perplexing turn of events, despite the helicopter being in a dive, it began to ascend as if the UFO was exerting some control over it. This eerie encounter was accompanied by a massive greenish light that enveloped the helicopter, leaving the crew in awe and fear.

Further investigations into this incident by the Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS) and notable UFO researcher Dr. J. Allen Hynek revealed extensive documentation and corroborative testimonies from ground witnesses, such as the Delong family, who observed the helicopter’s strange behavior in the presence of the UFO. Despite these detailed accounts and the undeniable expertise of the witnesses involved, the military’s investigation concluded without a definitive explanation, and the incident remains shrouded in mystery.

The Mansfield UFO encounter stands as a compelling case within UFOlogy, bolstered by the credibility of the witnesses and the depth of the investigation. Yet, it also highlights the challenges in seeking explanations for such encounters, with lost evidence and inconclusive findings leaving more questions than answers.