The Chicago Airport Sighting

On November 7, 2006, United Airlines employees at O’Hare International Airport observed a dark metallic disc hovering below the clouds over Gate C17. The object then shot upward at tremendous speed, leaving a visible hole in the cloud layer.

The Location

O’Hare International:

• Chicago, Illinois
• Major US hub
• Gate C17 area
• United Airlines terminal
• Afternoon

The Time

November 7, 2006:

• Around 4:15 PM
• Overcast conditions
• 1,900 foot ceiling
• Daylight
• Many witnesses

The Witnesses

Who saw it:

• United ramp workers
• United pilots
• Mechanics
• Supervisors
• Multiple departments

The Object

Description:

• Dark metallic disc
• Solid appearance
• About 6-24 feet diameter
• Rotating slowly
• No lights

The Position

Where it hovered:

• Below cloud layer
• Over Gate C17
• Stationary
• Clear outline
• Well-defined

The Departure

What happened:

• Shot straight up
• Tremendous speed
• Through cloud layer
• Left visible hole
• Then gone

The Cloud Hole

Remarkable phenomenon:

• Clear circular opening
• In overcast layer
• Visible briefly
• Then closed
• Multiple witnesses

FAA Response

Official position:

• No radar tracking
• “Weather phenomenon”
• No investigation
• Case closed
• Dismissed

United Airlines Response

Company position:

• Initially denied
• FOIA revealed reports
• Employees had reported
• Internal documents
• Cover-up?

NARCAP Investigation

Aviation safety group:

• Richard Haines led
• Extensive study
• Witnesses interviewed
• Found credible
• Published report

Media Coverage

Chicago Tribune:

• Jon Hilkevitch broke story
• Major news coverage
• National attention
• Public interest surge
• Ongoing interest

The Witnesses

All reported:

• Consistent descriptions
• Same location
• Same time
• Similar duration
• Same departure

The Hole

Key evidence:

• Physical effect
• On clouds
• Multiple observers
• Visible phenomenon
• Physical proof?

Significance

Multiple aviation professional witnesses, physical effect on clouds, and official dismissal despite evidence.

Legacy

O’Hare highlighted the gap between credible witness testimony and official dismissal—aviation professionals watching a UFO that officially never happened.