UFO seen in Normal, Illinois, mistaken for a DC-3

Summary

In March 1966, a 15-year-old in Normal, Illinois, reported seeing an unidentified flying object (UFO) that resembled a football, with blinking lights and no noise. The initial description caused alarm, but after a thorough investigation, officials determined the UFO was nothing more than a DC-3 aircraft operated by Ozark Airlines. The plane, which normally lands at 18:50 hours, was 25 minutes late that day, made a low pass over the city, and followed a slow descending pattern. Weather conditions, including cloudy skies and winds that muffled sound, contributed to the confusion. Several witnesses, including children and adults, described red, green, and white lights, and a silent object moving slowly. Although initially thought to be a spacecraft, the coincidence of timings, lights, and flight patterns with the DC-3 confirmed it was a commercial aircraft. The investigation concluded that the UFO sighting was the result of a combination of atmospheric conditions and witnesses' unfamiliarity with nighttime air operations.