The Kinross Incident

On November 23, 1953, an F-89C Scorpion jet interceptor disappeared over Lake Superior while pursuing an unidentified radar contact. Radar operators watched as the jet’s blip merged with the unknown object—then both disappeared. Neither the aircraft nor the two crew members were ever found.

The Scramble

At approximately 6:22 PM:

• Radar at Kinross Air Force Base detected an unknown contact
• The object was in restricted airspace over Lake Superior
• An F-89C was scrambled to intercept
• Lt. Felix Moncla Jr. piloted; Lt. Robert Wilson operated radar

The Pursuit

Ground Control Intercept (GCI) radar tracked the pursuit:

• The F-89 was vectored toward the unknown object
• The object appeared to change course
• The jet continued pursuing over the lake
• Ground radar watched both blips

The Merge

At approximately 8,000 feet altitude, 70 miles from Kinross:

• The two radar blips merged into one
• GCI controllers assumed the jet was passing the object
• The blips never separated
• Both the jet and unknown object disappeared from radar

The Search

Extensive search and rescue operations found nothing:

• Canadian and American aircraft searched
• Surface vessels scoured the lake
• No wreckage was found
• No oil slick was detected
• No bodies recovered

Official Explanations

The Air Force offered conflicting explanations:

• Initially stated the jet crashed pursuing a “Canadian DC-3”
• Canada denied any aircraft in the area
• Later suggested the jet crashed during routine practice
• No satisfactory explanation was provided

Radar Evidence

The radar tracking was crucial:

• Multiple operators witnessed the merge
• The unknown object was clearly tracked
• The jet and object appearing to physically merge
• Both disappearing simultaneously

The Crew

Both men were lost:

• Lt. Felix Moncla Jr. (pilot)
• Lt. Robert Wilson (radar operator)
• Neither was ever found
• Families never received answers

Theories

Various theories have been proposed:

• Mid-air collision with UFO
• Abduction by the unknown craft
• Classified accident cover-up
• Equipment failure over the lake

Lake Superior Mysteries

Lake Superior has claimed many:

• The lake rarely gives up its dead
• Cold temperatures preserve wrecks
• Despite this, no F-89 wreckage found
• The depth and conditions complicate searches

Significance

The Kinross Incident is significant for:

• Radar documentation of the encounter
• Complete disappearance of military aircraft
• Conflicting official explanations
• Never-recovered crew and aircraft
• Merge with unknown object recorded

Legacy

The Kinross Incident remains one of the most disturbing military UFO cases. The radar-documented merger of a fighter jet with an unknown object—followed by the complete disappearance of both—has never been explained. Families of the crew have sought answers for decades without success.