Revisiting One of the Classics: The Nash/Fortenberry UFO Sighting, 14 July 1952 (original) (raw)

2002, International UFO Reporter (CUFOS)

On the evening of 14 July 1952, a Pan American World Airways DC-4 was on a routine flight, ferrying from New York to Miami with ten passengers and a crew of three, including, Captain F. V. Koepke, First Officer William B. Nash and Second Officer William H. Fortenberry. The sun had set an hour before and the night was clear and almost entirely dark, though the coastline was still visible. While cruising at 8000 feet over the Chesapeake Bay approaching Norfolk, Virginia, with the aircraft set on automatic pilot, they were due to over fly the VRF radio range station in six minutes and make a position report. But, in the meantime, since this was Fortenberry’s first run on this course, Nash, in the left pilot’s seat, was orientating Fortenberry to the landmarks and the distant lights of the cities along the route. Nash had just pointed out the city of Newport News and Cumberland, ahead and to the right of the plane, when unexpectedly a red-orange brilliance appeared near the ground, beyond and slightly east of Newport News. The brilliance seemed to have appeared all of a sudden and both pilots witnessed the startling appearance at practically the same moment. In the excitement someone blurted out, “What the hell is that?”