The Aztec Incident (1948)

The Aztec Incident is a controversial and much-debated event in the history of UFO sightings and encounters. According to reports, in 1948, a large, metallic, disc-shaped object crashed in the deserts of Aztec, New Mexico, and the remains of the object, along with its passengers, were said to have been taken into government custody. The event was kept secret for many years and only recently has it been widely discussed by researchers and enthusiasts.

The story of the Aztec Incident started to gain traction in the 1980s, when a retired military intelligence officer named William Steinman claimed that he had seen documents that indicated the crash of a flying saucer in the Aztec desert and that the remains of the craft, along with its occupants, had been taken into government custody. This claim was later supported by other researchers who had obtained similar information through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and other sources.

This event is primarily viewed through two distinct lenses, each offering a unique perspective on what might have transpired in the skies over New Mexico in 1948. The first perspective is drawn from a detailed transcript from Robert Carr that sheds light on an alternative version of events, while the second is based on the accounts popularized by Frank Scully in his influential book “Behind the Flying Saucers.”

Researchers believe that the Aztec Incident was a real event that was covered up by the government for reasons of national security. They argue that the government has a long history of hiding information about UFO sightings and encounters and that the Aztec Incident is just one example of many similar events that have been kept secret from the public.

According to Robert Carr, the Aztec UFO Incident began with the discovery of a spacecraft, approximately 31 feet in diameter, near Aztec, New Mexico. This craft, described as undamaged except for a small hole in its transparent plastic dome, sparked immediate interest within various U.S. government agencies, including the Air Force and the CIA.

Tragically, the spacecraft’s occupants, 12 small humanoid beings, succumbed to what was believed to be decompression, a fate akin to certain high-altitude aviation accidents. These beings were described as being human-like, each approximately three and a half feet tall, with light hair and blue eyes. Remarkably, they were dressed in American clothes, suggesting a familiarity with Earth’s culture. The bodies were transported to Edwards Air Force Base for autopsy, revealing astonishing details. Despite their alien origin, the beings’ internal anatomy closely resembled that of humans. Intriguingly, the autopsy revealed brains with extraordinarily intricate convolutions, suggesting advanced intellectual capacities and potentially long lifespans.

According to the Frank Scully account, the flying saucer was said to be around 100 feet in diameter and was made of a metallic material that was unknown at the time. The craft was said to have been recovered by the military and taken to a secure facility for examination, and its passengers, who were said to be of extraterrestrial origin, were also taken into custody.

Frank Scully was a journalist who wrote for the entertainment industry trade magazine, Variety. His 1950 book, “Behind the Flying Saucers”, was one of the earliest publications to claim the U.S. government was involved in covering up the existence of extraterrestrial life.

In his book, Scully based his findings primarily on the accounts of two individuals, whom he referred to as “Dr. Gee” and “Mr. X”. These men told Scully of the recovery of several crashed saucers and their otherworldly occupants in the New Mexico area, the most significant of which allegedly took place near Aztec.

According to the sources, the disc found near Aztec was 100 feet in diameter and had crashed without much damage. Inside the disc, investigators allegedly found 16 humanoid bodies, roughly 40 inches tall, wearing uniform clothing. These entities were said to be much different from humans, with slightly larger heads and eyes. The sources claimed the craft’s occupants likely died due to the high-altitude conditions, which they were not accustomed to.

The spacecraft was said to be undamaged and found to have no traditional propulsion system, suggesting it used some advanced, at the time, unknown technology. The craft was allegedly taken to a secure government location, and the incident was covered up to prevent public panic.

However, in the years following the book’s publication, it was revealed that “Dr. Gee” and “Mr. X” were pseudonyms for two men, Silas M. Newton and Leo A. Gebauer, who were later convicted in unrelated cases.

1. According to an article by the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), the Aztec Incident was one of the largest and most expensive military recovery operations of its time, with over 200 military personnel involved in the recovery effort. (Source: “The Aztec Incident” by MUFON)
2. In an article by the Journal of Scientific Exploration, it was noted that some researchers believe that the Aztec Incident was part of a larger series of events that took place in the mid-20th century and involved the crash of several UFO craft in different locations across the United States. (Source: “The Aztec Incident: An Overview” by the Journal of Scientific Exploration)
3. According to an article by the Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence, there is evidence that suggests that the Aztec Incident may have been part of a larger pattern of UFO sightings and encounters that were part of a secret military operation during the Cold War. (Source: “The Aztec Incident: Cold War Secrets and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence” by the Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence).

The southwestern United States, particularly New Mexico and Arizona, is renowned for a series of debated extraterrestrial occurrences in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Of these, the Aztec Incident, which allegedly unfolded in March 1948, stands out. This event, taking place shortly after the well-publicized Roswell Incident of 1947, maintained a veil of secrecy until revealed by Frank Scully in his 1950 book, “Behind the Flying Saucers.” Then, in 1953, a similar narrative emerged from Kingman, Arizona, only adding to the regional intrigue. These instances, each marked by unique details and circumstances, form a compelling triad of purported UFO crashes that continue to captivate ufologists and curious minds alike.

The Aztec Incident remains a controversial and much-debated event in the history of UFO sightings and encounters. While there is no solid evidence to support the story, it continues to be a topic of interest among researchers and enthusiasts.