Chiles-Whitted UFO Encounter
On July 24, 1948, Eastern Airlines pilots Clarence Chiles and John Whitted observed a cigar-shaped craft with two rows of windows pass their DC-3 at close range near Montgomery, Alabama. They reported the object was about 100 feet long with a flame trail. The Air Force investigation couldn't explain the sighting.
The Chiles-Whitted encounter was a landmark early UFO case. Two experienced airline pilots observed a structured, cigar-shaped craft with apparent windows pass their aircraft at close range. Their detailed, consistent testimony - and the failure of investigators to explain what they saw - contributed to the early credibility of the UFO phenomenon.
July 24, 1948
Eastern Airlines Flight 576 was a DC-3 passenger flight from Houston to Atlanta, piloted by Captain Clarence S. Chiles and First Officer John B. Whitted. Both were experienced pilots - Chiles with over 8,500 flight hours.
Time: Approximately 2:45 AM.
Location: Near Montgomery, Alabama, at about 5,000 feet altitude.
Conditions: Clear, moonlit night with excellent visibility.
The Encounter
The pilots’ account was detailed and consistent:
Initial Sighting: Chiles first spotted a bright light approaching from ahead and slightly to their right.
Closing Speed: The object approached at tremendous speed, estimated at 500-700 mph.
Close Pass: It passed approximately 700 feet to the right of the DC-3.
Duration: The entire observation lasted about 10-15 seconds.
The Object Described
Both pilots provided remarkably consistent descriptions:
Shape: Cigar-shaped or torpedo-like, with a pointed nose.
Size: Approximately 100 feet long and 25-30 feet in diameter.
Windows: Two rows of bright, square windows along the side, glowing with light.
No Wings: No visible wings or control surfaces.
Flame: A bright orange-red flame or exhaust trailing from the rear, 30-50 feet long.
Glow: The body seemed to glow along its underside.
The Pass
As the object approached and passed:
Near Collision: Both pilots initially thought collision was possible.
Evasive Action: Chiles pulled the DC-3 sharply to the left.
Wake Turbulence: The aircraft was buffeted by turbulence in the object’s wake.
Ascent: After passing, the object pulled up sharply and climbed out of sight.
Passenger Witness
One passenger corroborated the sighting:
Clarence McKelvie: Was awake and saw a bright light flash past the aircraft.
Confirmation: His observation supported the pilots’ account.
Limited View: From his seat, he couldn’t see the object’s details.
The Investigation
Project Sign conducted an extensive investigation:
Pilot Interviews: Both pilots were interviewed separately and together.
Consistency: Their accounts matched in all significant details.
Credibility: Investigators found both men highly credible.
Analysis: Technical experts attempted to identify the object.
The Air Force Assessment
Project Sign’s analysis was significant:
Top Secret Report: Project Sign’s “Estimate of the Situation” reportedly concluded the object was extraterrestrial.
Rejection: Air Force Chief of Staff General Hoyt Vandenberg rejected this conclusion.
Destruction: The report was allegedly ordered destroyed.
Official Position: The Air Force’s public position became that the pilots saw a meteor.
The Meteor Explanation
The meteor explanation was widely criticized:
Pilot Experience: Experienced pilots know what meteors look like - they don’t have windows or pull up and climb away.
Duration: Meteors flash by in seconds; this observation lasted longer.
Structure: Meteors don’t have visible windows or show structural detail.
Behavior: Meteors fall; this object climbed.
Wake: Meteors don’t create turbulence.
Dr. J. Allen Hynek later called the meteor explanation “particularly strained.”
Pilot Credibility
Chiles and Whitted were ideal witnesses:
Experience: Combined thousands of hours of flight time.
Training: Professional observers trained to identify aircraft.
Reputation: Both had excellent professional reputations.
Consistency: They never changed their accounts.
Nothing to Gain: Reporting the sighting risked ridicule.
The Windows
The detail of the windows was particularly significant:
Both Pilots: Independently described two rows of square windows.
Illumination: The windows appeared to glow from within.
Detail Level: This detail suggested a manufactured craft.
No Precedent: No known aircraft of 1948 matched this description.
Other Sightings That Night
The Chiles-Whitted encounter wasn’t isolated:
Ground Report: A ground observer in Georgia reported a similar bright object around the same time.
Pattern: The sightings suggested a craft traveling on a consistent path.
Legacy
The Chiles-Whitted case became a foundation of UFO research:
- Two highly credible professional pilots
- Detailed, consistent descriptions of a structured craft
- Apparent “windows” suggesting occupancy
- Official explanation widely rejected
- Contributed to the seriousness with which UFOs were regarded
The Larger Picture
The encounter occurred during a pivotal period:
January 1948: Captain Mantell died chasing a UFO.
June 1947: Kenneth Arnold’s sighting coined “flying saucer.”
July 1948: Chiles-Whitted encounter.
The summer of 1948 established UFOs as a serious matter, if not a publicly acknowledged one.
Whatever Chiles and Whitted saw that night - a craft with windows, a strange meteor, or something else - their testimony helped establish that something unexplained was in American skies.
Sources
- Project Sign investigation files
- Air Force historical records
- Pilot testimonies
- Chiles-Whitted UFO encounter - Wikipedia