The 2006 Chicago UFO Sighting

On November 7, 2006, around 4:15 pm in the afternoon, dozens of witnesses would spot an unidentified flying object over Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. 

The object was first seen by a United ramp worker while the employee was pushing back United Flight 446. The employee would then go on and inform Flight 446’s crew of the object above their aircraft as more witnesses began viewing the object. The airport employees described a metallic, saucer-shaped craft that was hovering silently over Gate C-17. Witnesses also stated the craft was 6-24 feet in diameter and dark gray in color.

Several other witnesses outside of the airport also saw the craft. One described a disc-shaped object hovering over the airport, stating that it was “obviously not clouds.” According to this eyewitness, the craft shot through the clouds at high velocity, leaving a clear blue hole in the cloud layer. The hole reportedly seemed to close itself shortly afterward.

It was reported that employees rushed out to see the object as they heard reports over the internal communication system. Witnesses inside and outside the airport stated the craft hovered for around 5 minutes and was seen by a variety of employees such as pilots, crew and maintenance workers. During the event, the object did not show on radar. Some witnesses reported the object was spinning while others saying it did not.

At first both United and the FAA denied that any event occurred, but after investigative journalists at the Chicago Tribune began researching the events through the Freedom of Information Act, the FAA pivoted and began investigating the event.

The FAA report concluded that the strange sighting was caused by an obscure weather phenomenon, known as punch through cloud. Astronomer Mark Hammergren investigated the weather that day and time, and states conditions would be perfect for such an event. 

The failure to investigate drew anger for several reasons. First, with so many vantage points and so many witnesses, one has to wonder wouldn’t someone had noticed the abnormal cloud. Also, the event occurred at an airport, and believers raise the national security implications around an object entering the airspace. Separately, there were numerous initial reports understating the number of witnesses who filed reports. 

Despite the dismissal from the FAA and United, many facts lead one to conclude that there was indeed a UFO in that airspace. First, the sighting occurred during daylight and multiple witnesses claim to have had a clear view lasting about 5 minutes. Second, UFOs have been known to be spotted around installations with aircraft, like military bases and aircraft carriers. The case is further supported by multiple witnesses both inside and outside the airport who saw the object hovering. 

Unfortunately, Despite the large number of witnesses, no hard evidence of the event was gathered, except for some grainy photos. Perhaps if this event had occurred ten years later, we would have multiple cell phone videos and witnesses could have quickly notified individuals around the airport. 

Still, to this day, the case remains intriguing and one that many residents of Chicago and United workers won’t forget.