North Atlantic: Navy Transport Crew Encounters Glowing Disc That Disrupts Instruments
On February 10, 1951, a Navy Douglas RSD transport with 31 passengers flying from Keflavik, Iceland encountered a brightly glowing disc that caused hydraulic and magnetic instruments to oscillate before departing at great speed.
Background
At 12:55 a.m. on February 10, 1951, a Douglas RSD four-engine Navy transport, with a second crew plus 31 passengers aboard, was at 10,000 feet on a return flight from Keflavik, Iceland, to Naval Air Station Argentia, Newfoundland, when a brightly glowing unknown appeared in the distance, 1,000 or 1,500 feet above the water. Suddenly it rose at great speed toward the plane, clarifying its appearance as a disc with reddish orange at the perimeter.
Electromagnetic Effects
Upon its close approach, the plane's hydraulic and magnetic directional gyros began oscillating, along with a magnetic compass and two auto direction finders. The intruder reversed course, zooming into the night as the instruments returned to normal functioning. The crew was extensively debriefed afterward and the pilot was visited months later by an officer from Naval Intelligence who showed him multiple UFO photos, seeking a match.
Significance
One of the earliest cases documenting electromagnetic effects on aircraft instruments during a UFO encounter, with extensive military follow-up.