The Chiles-Whitted UFO encounter occurred on July 24, 1948, when Eastern Air Lines pilots Clarence S. Chiles and John B. Whitted reported a close encounter with a large, glowing object while flying a Douglas DC-3 near Montgomery, Alabama.
The Chiles-Whitted UFO encounter occurred on July 24, 1948, when Eastern Air Lines pilots Clarence S. Chiles and John B. Whitted reported a close encounter with a large, glowing object while flying a Douglas DC-3 near Montgomery, Alabama.
Key Details:
Object Description: The pilots observed a cigar-shaped craft approximately 100 feet long with two rows of illuminated windows and a 50-foot flame trailing from its rear.
Flight Dynamics: The object approached at an estimated speed exceeding 1,000 mph, causing Chiles to bank sharply to avoid a collision. It passed within hundreds of feet of the aircraft before climbing steeply into the clouds.
Witnesses: In addition to the pilots, a passenger and a ground observer at Robins Air Force Base reported seeing a similar bright light or streak.
Official Investigation:
Project Sign: Initially classified the sighting as "unknown" due to the credibility of the experienced pilots and the structured nature of the object, contributing to the top-secret "Estimate of the Situation" report which suggested an extraterrestrial hypothesis.
Project Blue Book: In 1959, the case was reclassified as a meteor or bright bolide, a conclusion supported by later trajectory analyses, though it remains a "classic" case in UFO history for its detailed pilot testimony.
| Date: | 1948-07-24 |
| Location: | Montgomery, Alabama, United States |
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| Credibility: | High / Well Documented |