The Coyne Helicopter Incident

On October 18, 1973, an Army Reserve helicopter flying near Mansfield, Ohio encountered a cigar-shaped object that came straight at them, stopped, and somehow pulled their aircraft upward. The crew’s professional account remains one of the most credible military UFO encounters.

The Crew

Four Army personnel:

• Captain Lawrence Coyne (pilot)
• 1st Lt. Arrigo Jezzi (co-pilot)
• SSG Robert Yanacek
• SP5 John Healey
• All experienced

The Mission

October 18, 1973:

• Routine training flight
• UH-1 Huey helicopter
• Columbus to Cleveland
• Night flight
• Normal conditions

The Time

Around 11:00 PM:

• Over Mansfield area
• 2,500 feet altitude
• Clear night
• Good visibility
• Then they saw it

First Observation

Yanacek spotted:

• Red light
• On eastern horizon
• Moving toward them
• Rapidly approaching
• Called to pilot

The Approach

The object:

• Came directly at them
• High speed
• On collision course
• Coyne took action
• Descended rapidly

Collision Course

Coyne pushed down:

• Collective control
• Descended to 1,700 feet
• Object still coming
• No response to radio
• Equipment failed

The Object

As it approached:

• Cigar or cylinder shape
• Gray metallic surface
• Red light front
• Green light rear
• Dome on top

The Close Encounter

Object stopped:

• Directly in front
• Hovering
• Green light swept over
• Helicopter cabin
• Bathed in green

The Impossible

Then something strange:

• Helicopter rose
• Without Coyne pulling up
• Collective still down
• Aircraft pulled upward
• To 3,500 feet

The Ascent

Despite controls set to descend:

• Helicopter rose
• 1,000 feet per minute
• Climbing without power
• Impossible physics
• Object above them

The Departure

Object then:

• Moved away
• Green light trailed
• Toward Lake Erie
• Accelerated rapidly
• Disappeared

Regaining Control

After departure:

• Coyne regained control
• Descended normally
• Radio worked again
• Instruments normalized
• Shaken crew

Ground Witnesses

On the ground:

• Family in car
• Saw helicopter
• Saw object
• Saw green light
• Corroboration

The Coynes (unrelated)

Another family named Coyne:

• Witnessed from ground
• Same event
• Same lights
• Independent confirmation
• Remarkable coincidence

Post-Flight Analysis

Crew discussed:

• What happened
• No explanation
• Reported to Army
• Documented event
• Filed official report

Army Investigation

The military:

• Investigated report
• No explanation found
• Professional crew
• Credible witnesses
• Case unexplained

Physical Effects

The climb:

• Against controls
• Against physics
• 1,000 fpm ascent
• Collective down
• Impossible normally

Significance

The incident suggests:

• Object affected helicopter
• Some force applied
• Technology unknown
• Physical interaction
• Beyond explanation

The Crew Today

Years later:

• All maintained account
• Never changed story
• Professional reputation
• Credible witnesses
• Consistent testimony

Significance

Coyne incident significant for:

• Military witnesses
• Physical effects
• Ground corroboration
• Instrument failure
• Altitude anomaly

Legacy

The Coyne helicopter incident remains one of the most credible military UFO encounters. Four experienced Army personnel, ground witnesses, and impossible physical effects combine to make this case extraordinarily difficult to dismiss.