Occurred: 2003-04-14 16:00 Local
Reported: 2003-06-29 09:41 Pacific
Duration: 3 minutes
No of observers: 1

Location: Cedar Rapids, IA, USA

Shape: Oval
Characteristics: Aircraft nearby

The following is the result of an investigation by 3Iowa MUFON investigators into a sighting of 5 oval/disc shaped objects on April 14, 2003, at 4:00 p.m. over downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa, reported to NUFORC as follows: 4/15/2003 9:08:04 AM 09:08.

All three investigators were impressed with this 50-year old witness' willingness to be as objective as possible in his quietly thoughtful assessment of his sighting. He had taken a short break from his office and was sitting on a bench at 2nd Street & 3rd Avenue in Cedar Rapids wearing ray-blocker sunglasses when he sighted what he at first thought was a flock of birds. However, as the formation approached to nearly overhead (moving from north to south) he realized that he was seeing at least 5 shiny metallic objects (no further apart in the formation than their own diameter), and to his amazement he saw that the objects constantly switched positions as the "tight S" formation rather slowly moved south at an estimated 30-50 mph INTO/AGAINST the wind. (It should be noted here that weather conditions were as follows: Clear; 87 degrees Fahrenheit; visibility 10 miles; WIND OUT OF SSW AT 26 mph, GUSTING TO 35 mph) With 5 objects moving against such a strong wind, it seems reasonable to rule out balloons as an explanation for what this witness saw.

Witness estimates that objects were perhaps at around 2,000 feet when first sighted, but that they may have elevated somewhat as they drew closer to overhead. (Whether this perception is accurate, of course, is not known.) Witness observed a military jet a couple of miles away heading in the opposite direction as the formation, but it is not known if that pilot was aware of the formation.

Local police and sheriff's departments received no reports, and the FAA had nothing on radar.

This, of course, remains an anecdotal, one-person account, but Iowa MUFON investigators are impressed with this individual's careful attention to detail as he sought to satisfy his curiosity over what he was seeing.

Bev Trout Iowa MUFON State Director



NUFORC Note:

We express our gratitude to Iowa MUFON State Director, and other MUFON personnel, for following up on this case, and for sharing the results of their investigation. PD


Posted 2003-07-16

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