The Coyne Helicopter Incident

On October 18, 1973, an Army Reserve helicopter crew experienced one of the most dramatic UFO encounters ever documented by military personnel. Their aircraft was apparently controlled by an unknown object, with multiple ground witnesses confirming their account.

The Crew

The UH-1H Huey helicopter carried:

• Captain Lawrence Coyne (Commander)
• First Lieutenant Arrigo Jezzi (Co-pilot)
• Sergeant John Healey (Flight Medic)
• Specialist Robert Yanacsek (Crew Chief)

All were experienced military personnel with no history of unusual claims.

The Encounter

At approximately 11:00 PM, the helicopter was cruising at 2,500 feet near Mansfield, Ohio. According to documented accounts:

• Yanacsek spotted a red light on the eastern horizon
• The light appeared stationary, then began approaching rapidly
• Coyne put the helicopter into a powered descent to avoid collision
• Despite full down collective, the aircraft stopped descending

The Object

As the object approached, the crew observed:

• A gray, metallic, cigar-shaped craft
• Approximately 60 feet long
• A red light at the bow
• A white light at the stern
• A green beam that swept over the helicopter

The Impossible Ascent

What happened next defied physics:

• The helicopter began climbing—without pilot input
• The altimeter showed they rose from 1,700 to 3,500 feet
• Coyne had the collective full down (which should cause descent)
• The aircraft was being pulled upward by an unknown force
• The magnetic compass was spinning erratically
• Radio communications failed on multiple frequencies

The object departed to the west, and control of the helicopter returned to normal.

Ground Witnesses

The crew’s account was corroborated by independent ground witnesses:

• A family driving on the ground observed both the helicopter and the object
• They saw the green beam of light
• They watched the helicopter’s unusual flight path
• Their account matched the crew’s in significant details

Investigation

The case was investigated by multiple parties:

• U.S. Army reviewed the incident
• The Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS) conducted extensive interviews
• Dr. Jennie Zeidman documented the case in detail

No conventional explanation was found. The object was not military aircraft, no weather phenomena could account for the effects, and the witnesses remained credible and consistent.

Significance

The Coyne incident is considered one of the strongest UFO cases because:

• Four military witnesses with clear observations
• Independent ground witness confirmation
• Physical effects on the aircraft (altitude change, compass, radio)
• Experienced aviation professionals as witnesses
• No satisfactory conventional explanation

Captain Coyne and his crew reported the incident through official channels and later testified publicly. None ever recanted or significantly changed their accounts.

Sources

• Coyne incident - Wikipedia
• Zeidman, Jennie. “A Helicopter-UFO Encounter Over Ohio” (1979)