United Airlines employees reported observing a metallic disc-shaped object hovering above O'Hare International Airport before rapidly departing through the cloud layer.
On November 7, 2006, approximately 12 to 20 United Airlines employees, including pilots and mechanics, witnessed a metallic, disc-shaped object hovering silently above Gate C17 at O'Hare International Airport. The object, estimated at 6 to 24 feet in diameter, remained stationary for several minutes before accelerating vertically at high speed, piercing the cloud layer and leaving a distinct circular hole that persisted for up to 15 minutes.
Key details of the incident include:
Witnesses: The observers were trained aviation professionals who described the craft as dark gray, silent, and lacking visible propulsion or lights.
Official Response: The FAA initially denied the sighting, claiming no radar contact and attributing the event to a weather phenomenon (fallstreak hole).
Media Exposure: The story gained prominence in January 2007 after Chicago Tribune reporter Jon Hilkevitch filed a FOIA request, revealing that FAA radar tapes and radio communications did indeed record the report, contradicting the agency's initial public stance.
Skepticism: Critics suggest the object may have been a balloon cluster, drone, or optical illusion, while the cloud hole may have been a natural atmospheric formation.
Legacy: The event remains one of the most cited cases in modern UAP history due to the credibility of the witnesses and the physical evidence of the cloud disruption
| Date: | 2006-11-07 |
| Location: | Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois |
| Country: | United States |
| Category: | Commercial Aviation |
| Credibility: | High / Multiple Airline Employees |