Louhans 1979, sighting of a luminous object

Summary

On October 9, 1979, around 11:30 PM, several witnesses in Louhans (Saône-et-Loire) observed a luminous flying object at low altitude. The object moved with a noticeable noise that frightened some people and animals. Although the phenomenon caused confusion, one witness managed to recognize the rear lights of a helicopter, suggesting the sighting might have been a conventional aircraft. However, the description of the noise and the object's luminosity raised doubts about its true identity.

This case was classified as "B" by the GEIPAN, indicating that the possibility of an unexplained phenomenon was not ruled out. Despite the partial identification of a helicopter, the testimony and characteristics of the event remain somewhat mysterious. Cases like this, where conventional and strange elements are mixed, are common in the UFO database and often require further investigation to confirm or rule out alternative explanations.