Mysterious pill-shaped UFO caught on camera by pilots flying above Middle America

Pilots flying over Ohio contacted air traffic control after spotting a strange object near their plane, only to be told nothing was registering on radar.

An account posted to the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) on October 26 described a silver, pill-shaped UFO that appeared almost stationary as the aircraft approached.

One pilot captured a photograph of the object, which he described during a follow-up interview with NUFORC investigator Ben Hansen. The encounter occurred on August 16.

‘The surface was silver and highly reflective, like pure polished metal,’ reads the investigator’s report, which identified the pilot only as ‘J.’

‘J described the UAP as uniform, pill-shaped. There were no warps or creases on the surface, nor was it tapered at the bottom,' Hansen wrote.

The crew saw no other aircraft on their collision-warning system or flight-tracking app. According to the report, Cleveland Center air traffic controllers also told them no aircraft or unidentified objects were showing on radar.

J believed the object may have emerged from thunderstorm clouds the pilots were attempting to fly between.

He questioned whether a balloon could have survived those conditions, reporting that their own aircraft experienced engine icing and moderate turbulence after entering the clouds.

One pilot captured a photograph of the object, describing it as a silver, pill-shaped UFO that appeared almost stationary as the aircraft approached

The NUFORC confirmed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) did not detect an object on radar and found no database matches for planned balloon launches.

'Coupled with the witness’s estimate that the object was at least 30 feet in height and uniformly shaped without tapering at the top or bottom, it presents some challenges to the balloon theory,'  Hansen said in the report.

At about 8pm ET, the pilots said they had reached 41,000 feet and were approaching a large thunderstorm, with clouds rising as high as 55,000 feet.

They decided flying through a gap between the clouds was the safest route. 

That was when J spotted a strange object ahead of them, slightly above their plane. 

He initially reported that it was about five miles away, but later estimated the distance was closer to two or three miles. 

The pilots estimated that the object was flying at about 43,000 feet, traveling in the opposite direction and passing to their left. 

He initially wondered whether it was a weather balloon. However, its even shape, with no narrowing at the bottom, made him question that explanation.

The crew saw no other aircraft on their collision-warning system or flight-tracking app. According to the report, Cleveland Center air traffic controllers also told them no aircraft or unidentified objects were showing on radar

NUFORC shared a CGI recreation of the UFO based on the witness's description

Its surface looked like highly polished metal. J believed its brightness came from reflecting sunlight rather than producing its own light.

The encounter lasted about two minutes. Flight information he later supplied showed that their plane was traveling at roughly 380mph.

J took one photograph with his iPhone after the object had passed them. By then, he estimated it was about seven miles behind the aircraft. He stressed that his description came from seeing it much closer earlier in the encounter.

The pilot said the way they approached and passed the object reminded him of encounters with oncoming aircraft, reinforcing his impression that it was moving rather than floating in place.

About a minute after first spotting it, he contacted Cleveland Center air traffic controllers to ask whether any aircraft or weather balloons were nearby.

Nothing appeared on the plane’s collision-warning system or the pilot’s flight-tracking app. According to J’s account, controllers also told the crew that nothing was showing on radar in the area where they saw the object.

The pilots continued watching it until it disappeared into the distance behind them.

NUFORC said the encounter raises wider questions about how authorities handle reports of unidentified objects near civilian aircraft.

The organization said there was no indication the FAA had referred this sighting to other agencies for a parallel investigation, arguing that potential aviation hazards deserve closer scrutiny.

It also highlighted an exchange in the audio recording in which an air traffic controller joked about the pilots submitting a NUFORC report, saying: ‘Make sure you include what color the alien was.’

NUFORC argued that such reactions reinforce the stigma surrounding UFO sightings and can discourage pilots from reporting encounters.

Even if an object ultimately proves to be a balloon, the organization said its presence in controlled airspace can raise safety concerns. 

Aircraft traveling at hundreds of miles per hour could suffer serious damage in a collision, while unidentified surveillance balloons could pose a national security threat.