Tours, France: Military Pilot TE-33 Surrounded by Green Phosphorescent Light
Near Tours, France, the pilot of a French military TE-33 sees a bright light rapidly approaching. His plane is then surrounded by a green phosphorescent light that illuminates his aircraft. The radar controller picks up nothing, although two other pilots see the object. This case is later included in the 1999 COMETA Report, issued by members of the French military and defense establishment, lending it high credibility.
Background
On March 3, 1976, near Tours, France, a French military pilot flying a TE-33 trainer aircraft experienced a close encounter with an unidentified aerial phenomenon. The pilot reported that a bright object approached rapidly and enveloped his plane in a green phosphorescent glow. Despite visual confirmation from multiple aviators, ground radar systems failed to detect the object, and the case was later included in the influential 1999 Cometa Report.
The Incident
The encounter occurred during a routine flight operation when the pilot observed a bright light in the distance closing in on his position at high speed. As the object neared the TE-33, the aircraft became completely surrounded by a green phosphorescent light that illuminated the exterior of the plane. The radar controller monitoring the airspace reported no corresponding contact on their