The O’Hare Airport UFO Incident

On November 7, 2006, at approximately 4:15 PM, multiple credible witnesses at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport observed a metallic, disc-shaped object hovering over Gate C17. The object remained stationary for several minutes before shooting straight up through the overcast cloud layer at tremendous speed—leaving a clearly visible circular hole in the clouds. The incident became one of the most significant UFO sightings of the 21st century.

The Sighting

It was a typical busy afternoon at O’Hare on November 7, 2006, one of the world’s busiest airports. An overcast sky hung at about 1,900 feet. United Airlines Flight 446 was preparing for departure from Gate C17 of Concourse C. At approximately 4:15 PM, a United Airlines ramp employee looked up and saw something impossible.

Multiple witnesses described the object consistently: a disc or saucer-shaped craft with metallic gray coloring, estimated between 6 to 24 feet in diameter, hovering below the cloud layer at approximately 1,500-1,900 feet directly above Gate C17. The object remained completely stationary for between 2 and 5 minutes before making a sudden vertical departure.

What happened next made the sighting extraordinary. The object suddenly shot straight up, not at an angle but perfectly vertical, at tremendous speed, punching through the overcast cloud layer. Witnesses watched in amazement as a perfectly circular hole appeared in the clouds where the object had passed. The hole remained visible for several minutes before the clouds closed back in.

The Witnesses

The witnesses were not casual observers or UFO enthusiasts but rather aviation professionals. At least one United Airlines pilot observed the object from the cockpit, and pilots are trained observers whose careers depend on accurately assessing aerial phenomena. Ground crew mechanics working on aircraft had clear, unobstructed views of the object hovering above the gate. Multiple United employees working on the tarmac watched the object for several minutes. A United Airlines manager confirmed seeing the object and the hole it left in the clouds.

Witness accounts were remarkably consistent. One ramp employee described seeing a dark gray, metallic object sitting completely still and hovering silently before it shot up through the clouds faster than anything he had ever seen, leaving a hole in the clouds through which blue sky was visible. A mechanic initially thought it might be a balloon but realized that balloons don’t hover perfectly still and definitely don’t punch holes in clouds. An anonymous pilot with 20 years of experience stated that he knew what aircraft looked like, and this wasn’t an aircraft or helicopter, though he was certain it was real.

The Official Response

When United Airlines employees reported the sighting to the Federal Aviation Administration, the FAA initially stated they had no reports or radar data of the incident. However, investigation by Chicago Tribune reporter Jon Hilkevitch revealed crucial details through the Freedom of Information Act. Hilkevitch obtained an internal FAA communication log showing that the incident was reported to the FAA, the FAA supervisor called it a “UFO report,” and the report was logged and then apparently ignored.

United Airlines initially denied any knowledge of the incident. When confronted with evidence that multiple employees had witnessed and reported the event, the company acknowledged reports had been made but stated it was not investigating. The airline suggested the witnesses might have seen a “weather phenomenon.”

The FAA stated there was no radar evidence of the object. However, the object was reportedly below the cloud ceiling, it was small (6-24 feet), modern radar is designed to filter out non-transponder targets, and objects hovering stationary may not register on radar designed to track moving aircraft.

The Investigation

Chicago Tribune transportation reporter Jon Hilkevitch broke the story on January 1, 2007, nearly two months after the incident. His article became the most-read story in the Tribune’s website history. Hilkevitch interviewed multiple witnesses who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity, fearing professional repercussions. Their accounts were consistent, describing a metallic disc with stationary hovering behavior that made a vertical departure at extreme speed, leaving a circular hole in the clouds.

The National Aviation Reporting Center on Anomalous Phenomena (NARCAP), a research organization focused on aerial anomalies affecting aviation safety, conducted an investigation. Their report concluded that multiple credible witnesses observed an unknown object displaying flight characteristics beyond known technology, the incident represented a potential aviation safety issue, and further investigation was warranted.

The circular hole in the clouds became a key element of witness testimony. Multiple witnesses independently described it, suggesting the object possessed significant energy or heat. It remained visible for several minutes and served as physical evidence that something had passed through.

Theories

Several theories have been proposed to explain the sighting. The extraterrestrial craft hypothesis notes that the object’s appearance and flight characteristics match descriptions from other UFO cases, and its ability to hover silently then accelerate vertically at extreme speed suggests technology beyond human capability.

The secret military technology theory proposes an advanced drone or experimental aircraft, but this raises questions: why would it hover over a busy civilian airport, how could it punch visible holes in clouds when no known aircraft can, and what propulsion technology could achieve such extreme speed when none is known to exist?

The atmospheric phenomenon explanation, suggested by the FAA and United, proposes that weather might explain the sighting. However, multiple experienced aviation professionals reported a solid metallic object, weather phenomena don’t hover stationary for minutes, and weather doesn’t punch circular holes in clouds.

The mass hallucination theory, proposed by skeptics, suggests witnesses were mistaken. However, the witnesses were trained aviation professionals who reported independently and consistently, and the cloud hole provided apparent physical evidence.

Significance

The O’Hare incident raised serious questions about aviation safety. An unknown object hovered over a busy airport and was present in the approach/departure corridor, yet official agencies showed no interest in investigating, and witnesses feared professional retaliation for reporting.

Unlike many UFO cases involving distant lights or ambiguous shapes, the O’Hare witnesses were aviation professionals observing at close range in daylight conditions, with multiple independent observers. Their credibility makes the case difficult to dismiss.

The FAA’s dismissive response was criticized for several reasons. An unknown object over a major airport should trigger investigation, yet the incident log was discovered only through FOIA, no attempt was made to identify the object, and safety implications were ignored.

Legacy

The O’Hare UFO remains one of the most credible and well-documented cases of the modern era, featuring multiple trained witnesses, daytime observation at a major international airport, a physical effect (the cloud hole), extensive media documentation, and FOIA-obtained records.

Unanswered questions persist: What was the object? Why did it hover over Gate C17? How did it punch a hole through clouds? What propulsion system allowed its departure speed? Why did authorities show no interest? Have there been other unreported incidents at major airports?

Conclusion

On a November afternoon in 2006, something anomalous appeared over one of the world’s busiest airports. It was seen by multiple credible witnesses. It left physical evidence in the sky. And then it vanished, shooting upward faster than any known aircraft.

The official response was denial and dismissal. But the witnesses know what they saw. And the hole in the clouds—visible for several minutes after the object departed—suggested that whatever visited O’Hare that day was real, solid, and possessed capabilities we cannot explain.

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Gate C17 at O’Hare Airport looks like any other gate today. But on November 7, 2006, something hovered above it that defied explanation. Pilots, mechanics, and airline employees watched a metallic disc shoot straight up through the clouds, leaving a perfect circular hole in its wake. The FAA said there was nothing there. The witnesses know better.