On 13th August, 1960, near midnight, while traveling east of Corning, California, state police officers Charles Carson and Stanley Scott witnessed a lighted object drop from the sky. In fear that the object might fall upon their vehicle, they exited the vehicle and ran for cover.

The object continued to falling, to an altitude of approximately 100 feet. At that point, it reversed direction suddenly and climbed to an altitude of approximately 400 feet. It stopped at that point and began to hover.

In his official report, Carson states, "At this time, it was clearly visible to both of us. It was surrounded by a glow making the round or oblong object visible. At each end, or each side of the object, there were definite red lights. At times about five white lights were visible between the red lights. As we watched, the object moved again and performed aerial feats that were actually unbelievable."

The two officers contacted the Tehama County Sheriff's Office by radio, asking the dispatcher to contact the Air Force Base in nearby Red Bluff. Radar operators there confirmed the presence of the object on their radar screens.

The UFO remained in view for more than two hours, during which time two Tehama County deputy sheriffs and a county jailer also saw it, according to Carson's report.

Carson's report continues, "On two occasions the object came directly towards the patrol vehicle; each time it approached, the object turned, swept the area with a huge red light. Officer Scott turned the red light on the patrol vehicle towards the object, and it immediately went away from us. We observed the object use the red beam approximately six or seven times, sweeping the sky and ground areas. The object began moving slowly in an easterly direction and we followed. We proceeded to the Vina Plains Fire Station where it was approached by a similar object from the south. It moved near the first object and both stopped, remaining in that position for some time, occasionally emitting the red beam. Finally, both objects disappeared below the eastern horizon. Each time the object neared us we experienced radio interference."

No explanation has ever been given for this sighting.

© 1996 David Louis Harter, California Technologies