Dark object with coloured lights reclassified as probable light aircraft in La Chapelle-Saint-Florent

Summary

In 1997, two witnesses in La Chapelle-Saint-Florent (Maine-et-Loire) watched a dark object with coloured lights travel south-west to north-east over several minutes. They described an elongated shape with no visible wings; the lights appeared white or red depending on the witness. Originally classified as D, GEIPAN re-examined the case and reclassified it as B, deeming a small touring aircraft the most likely explanation. Twilight and darkness may have made the wings hard to see.

The aircraft hypothesis is supported by details such as the noise heard and the duration of the sighting, though contradictions remain: one witness saw no lights in the final phase, and no anti-collision lights were mentioned. These inconsistencies could stem from differences in visual acuity or weather conditions. GEIPAN maintains the B classification, close to the threshold of the unexplainable due to a lack of precise data.