NUFORC Sighting 143678

Occurred: 2008-11-07 19:35 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2018-11-07 19:35 Pacific
Duration: 10-30 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: Faison, NC, USA

Shape: Triangle
Characteristics: Lights on object

Three aircraft shaped like triangles observed at night - appeared to be moving very slowly, if at all.

I am 58 years old. I have 19 years of education and a post graduate degree. I am married and gainfully employed.

On November 7, 2018, I was traveling from Winston-Salem, NC, to Wilmington, NC. I took Interstate 40 around Raleigh, NC. Approximately 45 miles east of Raleigh, I exited near Newton Grove, NC, and stopped at a convenience store and purchased water and a snack.

Not long after I got back on Interstate 40, I observed a steady white light above the trees on the left (north) side of the highway. This was around 7:35 pm. The sun set at least 1.5 hours before I saw this light. The sky was partly cloudy. In this general location Interstate 40 was 4 lanes, two lanes in each direction, with a center median. The speed limit was 70 mph. This is a rural area. I was traveling at around the posted speed limit, driving a 4-door sedan.

I was intrigued by the white light. It was far too large to be a star or planet but seemed to be stationary, so did not think it could be from an airplane. I knew that there were no tall buildings in the area to account for such a light. I considered the possibility that the light was on top of a large industrial facility that I had not noticed before, as well as the possibility that it was affixed to a very tall communications tower. As I got closer, I saw that the light was affixed to an aircraft that was shaped like a stealth bomber (a triangle).

Because traffic was very light, I was able to slow my vehicle to around 45 mph and watch the aircraft through by looking up through my windshield. The aircraft appeared to be hovering or nearly hovering. It appeared to be close enough to the ground that if it had been proceeding at the speed of a jet, or even a small prop plane, its forward progress would have been dramatically greater than appeared to be the case. I was headed east. The aircraft was pointed west. As I was watching the aircraft, I observed two similarly shaped aircraft to the south and east of the aircraft with the light. I could see the silhouettes of the other two aircraft. These aircraft were pointed in the same direction as the first aircraft. I did not observe lights on them. I watched the three aircraft for at least 5 seconds. They appeared to be hovering or moving forward at a very slow speed.

I considered stopping to get a better view but did not, as the three aircraft appeared to be close enough to observe me. The three aircraft were close enough and strange enough that I concluded that my best course would be to keep moving and get out of the area.

I was not far from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. It occurs to me that the three aircraft could have been stealth bombers. However, they appeared to be too close to the ground and appeared to be moving, if at all, much slower than I would expect a stealth bomber to be able to move and sustain flight.

NUFORC Note:

Source of report indicates that the date of the sighting is approximate. PD

Posted 2018-11-09