America West Flight 564: Airline Crew Observes Cigar Object, NORAD Confirms Radar Target

On the night of May 25, 1995, the crew of America West Flight 564, a Boeing 757 en route from Tampa to Las Vegas at 39,000 feet, observed a massive dark cigar-shaped object with a row of brightly lit rectangular windows or panels along its length near Bovina, Texas.

The Incident

First Officer John Waller and Captain Eugene Tollefson both observed the object, estimating it to be between 300 and 400 feet long. The object displayed a row of brightly flashing lights that sequenced on and off from left to right.

• Object description: massive dark cigar-shaped craft
• Estimated length: 300–400 feet
• Light pattern: rectangular panels or windows along the length
• Sequencing: lights flashing left to right
• Altitude of observation: below the aircraft's 39,000-foot cruising altitude

Air Traffic Control Response

Waller contacted the Albuquerque Air Route Traffic Control Center during the sighting. Controllers checked with military installations in the area but could not identify any known traffic.

• No radar detection on FAA systems
• Military installations contacted: negative responses
• Controllers noted the description resembled a tethered aerostat, but the large number of strobes did not match
• Other aircraft in the area were unable to see the object

NORAD Confirmation

NORAD (North American Air Defense Command) confirmed that military radar had tracked an unidentified target in the same location at the time of the sighting. This radar confirmation added significant credibility to the visual sighting.

Investigation and Significance

The case was thoroughly investigated by Walter N. Webb on behalf of the UFO Research Coalition. Webb interviewed the crew and air traffic controllers, and obtained copies of FAA voice tapes of conversations between the aircraft and ground during the sighting.

The combination of trained airline crew witnesses at close range, confirmed NORAD radar tracking, and the object's estimated massive dimensions makes Flight 564 one of the most compelling airline-associated UAP encounters of the 1990s.