Portuguese Air Force Pilot Circled by Metallic Disc near Ota Air Base

On November 2, 1982, Portuguese Air Force Lieutenant Julio Miguel Guerra, a 29-year-old flight instructor with the 101st Air Force Squadron, encountered a metallic disc while flying solo near Ota air base. The object performed extraordinary maneuvers, was confirmed by two fellow officers, and remained unidentified after official investigation.

The Incident Lieutenant Julio Miguel Guerra was flying a DHC-1 Chipmunk solo near Montejunto mountain and Torres Vedras close to Ota air base. At about 10:50 a.m. at 5,000-5,500 feet altitude, he spotted an oval metallic object near the ground. The object suddenly climbed to his altitude in under ten seconds.

Das Objekt The disc was composed of two halves with a reflecting band around the center. It repeatedly orbited his aircraft in large elliptical patterns at an estimated speed of 1,550 mph.

Witness Accounts Two fellow officers, Carlos Garces and Antonio Gomes, joined in a second Chipmunk and confirmed the sighting. During an attempted interception, the object flew directly at Guerra. It stopped only 15 feet above his aircraft, then departed at extreme speed toward Sintra mountain.

Investigation General Jose Lemos Ferreira released all records to a scientific investigation team of ~30 experts. The team produced a 170+ page report. The report concluded the object remained unidentified.