Istrana intercept (Giancarlo Cecconi)
- Date
- 18 Jun 1979
- Place
- Near Istrana air base, Treviso, Veneto, Italy
- Record
- Curated case
- Assessment
- Contested
- Evidence strength
What was reported
On the morning of 18 June 1979 Istrana's radar reported an unidentified object in restricted airspace near Treviso, and Air Force Marshal Giancarlo Cecconi, returning in a camera-equipped G-91R reconnaissance jet, was directed to it. He described a dull black, fuel-tank-like body six to eight metres long with a milky dome that stayed motionless as he made several passes at 70 to 80 m, and he operated his cameras throughout the roughly five-minute encounter; one of his photographs has been published. When ufologists later asked for the file, the Ministry of Defence said the object had been identified as a cylindrical balloon made of black plastic bags, an answer Cecconi rejected.
What officials concluded
Resolved
Ministry of Defence: a cylindrical balloon made of black plastic bags
Strongest ordinary reading
A home-made black plastic balloon (official); disputed by the pilot
Evidence profile
- Yes: Visual
- No: Infrared
- Yes: Radar
- No: Video
- Yes: Photo
- No: Film
- No: Audio
- No: Night vision
- No: Other sensor
- No: Civilian
- Yes: Military aircrew
- No: Military ground
- No: Airline crew
- Yes: Sensor operator
- No: Law enforcement
- No: Scientist
- No: Astronaut
- No: Intelligence official
- No: Other
- No: Light only
- No: Orb or sphere
- No: Disc
- No: Triangle
- Yes: Cylinder
- No: Cube
- No: Other shape
- No: Physiological
- No: Physical trace
- No: Electromagnetic
- No: Sound
- No: Silent
Outside sources
- The Black Vault: the Cecconi encountertheblackvault.com
- Wikipedia: UFO sightings in Italyen.wikipedia.org
On the map
45.68° N, 12.10° E, plotted at the centre of the region named in the record
Show on the map