ALSACAT:

ALSACAT is my comprehensive catalog of UFO sighting reports in Alsace, the region is the North-East of France, whether they are "explained" or "unexplained".

The ALSACAT catalog is made of case files with a case number, summary, quantitative information (date, location, number of witnesses...), classifications, all sources mentioning the case with their references, a discussion of the case in order to evaluate its causes, and a history of the changes made to the file. A general index and thematic sub-catalogs give access to these Alsatian case files.

◀ Previous case Next case ▶

Case of Bischwiller, in August 1986:

Case number:

ALSACAT-1986-08-00-BISCHWILLER-1

Summary:

In the ufology bulletin La Ligne Bleue Suvolée? #18, of 1987, of the ufology group "Cercle Vosgien Lumières Dans La Nuit" (C.V.L.D.L.N.), an observation in August 1986 in Bischwiller is cataloged:

At 10 p.m. (local time), two people on a walk had observed three "spherical" lights arranged in a triangle and which were moving in concert on an apparent horizontal then ascending trajectory. A noise similar to that of a helicopter was heard.

The C.V.L.D.L.N. indicates that the likely explanation is airplane lights.

Data:

Temporal data:

Date:	August 1986
Time:	10:00 p.m.
Duration:	?
First known report date:	1987
Reporting delay:	Hours, 1 year.

Geographical data:

Department:	Bas-Rhin
City:	Bischwiller
Place:	Outside.
Latitude:	48.766
Longitude:	7.858
Uncertainty radius:	6 km

Witnesses data:

Number of alleged witnesses:	2
Number of known witnesses:	?
Number of named witnesses:	0
Witness(es) ages:	?
Witness(es) types:	?

Ufology data:

Reporting channel:	Ufology Bulletin "La Ligne Bleue Survolée?".
Type of location:	Outside.
Visibility conditions:	Night
UFO observed:	Yes
UFO arrival observed:	?
UFO departure observed:	Yes
Entities:	No
Photographs:	No.
Sketch(s) by witness(es):	No.
Sketch(es) approved by witness(es):	No.
Witness(es) feelings:	?
Witnesses interpretation:	?

Classifications:

Hynek:	NL
ALSACAT:	Probable helicopter.

Sources:

[Ref. lbs1:] UFOLOGY BULLETIN "LA LIGNE BLEUE SURVOLEE?":

Ref : F/96/6786088600 (01)

BISCHWILLER (67) - 10 p.m. LT - August 86 - Two people on a walk, observe 3 "spherical" lights arranged in a triangle and which move together on an apparent horizontal then upward trajectory. A noise similar to that of a helicopter is heard.

Classification: Probable EXPLANATION by airplane fires.

It is specified that this case falls within those of "the theoretical territorial coverage of the "CNEGU" [committee of Northeastern France ufology groups] but located in departments not yet covered in practice more than occasionally."

Discussion:

I am a little surprised that the C.V.L.D.L.N. refers to "airplane lights" when the witnesses spokr of a helicopter noise. Why, then, wouldn't it be a helicopter with its lights, rather than the lights of an airplane?

In addition, we are talking about an "apparent horizontal then ascending trajectory", which fits very well to a helicopter and a little less commonly to an airplane.

Anyway, the report is very succinct, there does not appear to have been an investigation, the witnesses are not named, and we are not told from where the report came from. The absence of a duration, for example, deprives of an element that could possibly have allowed to discriminate between a helicopter and an airplane.

Evaluation:

Probable helicopter.

Sources references:

* = Source is available to me.
? = Source I am told about but could not get so far. Help needed.

[lbs1] * Ufology bulletin La Ligne Bleue Survolée?, of the Cercle Vosgien Lumières Dans La Nuit, Vosges, France, #18, 1987.

File history:

Authoring:

Main author:	Patrick Gross
Contributors:	None
Reviewers:	None
Editor:	Patrick Gross

Changes history:

Version:	Create/changed by:	Date:	Description:
0.1	Patrick Gross	May 30, 2021	Creation, [lbs1].
1.0	Patrick Gross	May 30, 2021	First published.

This page was last updated on May 30, 2021.