NUFORC Sighting 17264

Occurred: 1999-08-15 20:30 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2001-04-15 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 2 minutes
No of observers: 2

Location: Gila Bend/Yuma (between), AZ, USA

Shape: Fireball

I saw an intense orange ball of fire that was probably a flare, over military airspace

I was piloting a single-engine light aircraft from the Phoenix area to Yuma, AZ. The flight instructor gestured toward something he was seeing to the south, off the left wingtip. This was approximately 8:30 pm mountain standard time. I kept looking, but I ws not seeing anything.

Then I saw an intense orange ball of fire, that appeared to be stationary. Then it would fade and reappear. Since this occurred over the Barry Goldwater Air Force range, I passed this off as a military flare, or experimental craft. But then I remember reading that military flares emit a white light. I didn't really think much of it, and I am not ready to call it a UFO. but I admit that I did see something that I have not seen before.

((

NUFORC Note:

For video footage of the event, captured by the Sandia National Laboratory sky camera in Albuquerque, please see the following URL:

http://www.cs.sandia.gov/SEL/apps/energy/meteor.htm

PD))

Posted 2002-07-01