Coyne Army helicopter incident

Case

Overview

An Army Reserve UH-1H crew commanded by Capt. Lawrence Coyne reported a near collision with an object that lit the cockpit green; the crew reported their aircraft climbing without control input.

Investigative phases

Crew report to the 83rd U.S. Army Reserve Command; civilian investigations

Reported phenomena

Red light, cigar-shaped object, green light in cockpit

Public evidence status

Crew report reproduced by researchers; original Army file not located

Alternative explanations / caveats

Bright meteor (skeptic analysis)

Next research tasks

Obtain original Army report via FOIA

Last reviewed

2026-11-11

Assessment

Event date

1973-10-18

Source category

Military crew report (reproduced)

Original data accessibility

Limited

Witness / instrument basis

Four-man crew

Corroboration limitations

Original report not located

Extraordinary claim assessment

Unverified

Current status

Open

Priority research task

FOIA Army file

Lead source ID

SRC-V86-36

Last reviewed

2026-11-11

Evidence (1)

• Crew report to the 83rd U.S. Army Reserve Command Reported
  CE-V86-20 · 1973-11-23 · Military crew report
  Gaps: Original Army file

Documents gathered (1 line of evidence)

0 readable here · 0 with a linked primary record · 1 still need a document · All cases on the evidence map

• Crew report to the 83rd U.S. Army Reserve Command Accounts / secondary only
  CE-V86-20 · Coyne helicopter incident case directory
  Why it's still open: FOIA Army records Bounded search: no scan of the Army report (DA Form 2496, 23 Nov 1973, 83rd USARCOM) is online; only typed transcriptions (patrickgross.org). Blue Book had closed in 1969. (chunk F, 2026-11-12)