Sepvret 1999, white fireball seen by a pilot

Summary

At approximately 20:10 on 26 August 1999, a pilot en route to Paris observed for about five seconds a bright white incandescent ball descending more than ten kilometres away. The description was clear and did not match conventional air-traffic signals.

After reviewing the case, GEIPAN experts concluded the sighting most likely corresponded to an atmospheric entry — a meteorite or other natural object burning up on re-entry. The hypothesis was deemed the most plausible, though other explanations were not entirely ruled out. The case was classified as category B.