NUFORC Sighting 3456

Occurred: 1996-10-30 18:50 Local
Reported: 1998-04-08 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 20 Minutes
No of observers: 1

Location: Rose Hill / Wichita, KS, USA

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Lights on object, Emitted other objects, Changed Color, Aircraft nearby

I saw 3 bright, parallel red lightst 30 degrees above the horizon, lighting up one at a time from right to left. They covered a large portion of the sky.

This is the second entry I have made to your sight. I have been unable to find my previous entry listed and, being concerned that it somehow got lost, am transmitting a second. This event occured October 30th, 1996. I sighted the phenomenon alone ( I don't count my 2 year old son as a witness) but talked with 3 other people in the area who saw similar occurences. The event was also broadcast on the local TV news and Wichita Eagle newspaper so you should be able to corroborate it. According to the news, the majority of the sightings occured in Winfield Kansas which is about 20 miles south. At approximately 6:20 P.M. I was driving east on 47th street south, out of Wichita Kansas, about 3 miles west of Rose Hill road with my son. I noticed three parallel bright red lights, east-south-east, about 30 degrees up from the horizon. They covered a sizable portion of the night sky and if they were attached to the same craft, it would have been huge. They lit up, one at a time, from right to left five to six times which took about 30 seconds. I then noticed smaller, what appeared to be sparkling, red lights just to the right of the furthest southern (right) light. They spread out and dissipated quickly. The bright lights made one more sweep from right to left and then stopped. I continued to monitor that section of the sky as I headed east but the lights did not return. Ten minutes later I arrived home, 4 1/2 miles east of Rose Hill on 180th street. I got out of my car and started to go to the other side to get my son out. As I did so I noticed very bright white lights straight east. They appeared to be in a tight cluster and were oscillating. As I watched they broke apart and dissipated. I then noticed a line of multi-colored lights parallel to the horizon. They were approximately 10 degrees above the horizon and slowly sank. They then disappeared. About two seconds later I observed more birght white, clustered lights that were above where the multi-colored line appeared at maybe 15 degrees above the horizon. These disappeared only to light up again after about 5 seconds. They appeared to sparkle for a few seconds and then dim down. After another 5-10 seconds the wihite lights returned for another few seconds and died down as they had done previously. I waited 15-20 seconds and then ran in the house to find another witness. By the time we came back outside, the lights were gone and did not return. I did however, see several airplane lights circling the area for atleast 15 minutes. After 15 minutes I went back inside the house. I called the Rose Hill police who said they had no other reports. Shortly afterwards I heard about Winfield residents reporting strange lights on the nightly news. I called the Winfield police to report my sighting. The dispatcher said that she had indeed received several similar reports that evening but did not take my report and did not seem concerned. I attempted to call McConnell Air Force base, which is only 3-4 miles from my original sighting, but was unable to contact anyone. At the time of the sighting I was 35 years old. I am divorced with a 3 year old son. I have a college degree and am employed as a financial analyst with a large aircraft manufacturing company.

Posted 1999-01-28