False landing trace at Pont-Sainte-Maxence

Summary

In April 1976, a witness near a sports ground in Pont-Sainte-Maxence reported seeing a shiny aluminium-coloured object emitting light that shifted from white to red and gave off a faint whistle. He also pointed out scorched grass and a charred stake at the site. Investigation showed, however, that the burn marks were caused by firecrackers set off by several people. The witness ultimately admitted he had never actually seen an airborne object and that the supposed UFO's dimensions had been suggested to him by journalists.