Who was Captain Lawrence Coyne?

Captain Lawrence Coyne was an experienced military helicopter pilot in the United States Air Force, with several years of professional service. His testimony is considered highly credible because of his military status and expertise in aviation.

What was the exact date of the incident?

The incident occurred on October 18, 1973, around 11:00 p.m. (local time), near Mansfield, Ohio, in the United States.

How many witnesses attended the incident?

A minimum of four professional military witnesses were on board the helicopter. Several civilians on the ground also reported seeing the luminous object that night.

The Coyne Helicopter Incident (1973)

On October 18, 1973, a military UH-1 helicopter piloted by Captain Lawrence Coyne becomes the site of a close encounter with an unidentified flying object of cylindrical shape. This incident, which occurred in Ohio, became one of the most documented and credible cases in the history of modern ufology.

The Coyne helicopter incident, also known as the Mansfield incident, remains one of the most intriguing and well-documented UFO cases in American history. This event took place on October 18, 1973, when a military UH-1 "Huey" helicopter of the United States Air Force, piloted by Captain Lawrence Coyne, experienced an extraordinary encounter with an unidentified flying object in Ohio airspace.

Background

In October 1973, the United States was experiencing a significant wave of UFO sightings. The month was particularly fertile in observations, with hundreds of reports coming from several states. The Huey helicopter was participating in a routine mission, flying from Columbus toward Cleveland. The crew consisted of Captain Lawrence Coyne, First Lieutenant Arrigo Jezzi, Staff Sergeant Robert Yanacsek, and Warrant Officer Robert Fithian. All four were experienced military personnel with solid professional training.

The Facts

Around 11:00 p.m. (local time), at approximately 900 meters altitude near Mansfield, Ohio, the crew members

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Captain Lawrence Coyne?: Captain Lawrence Coyne was an experienced military helicopter pilot in the United States Air Force, with several years of professional service. His testimony is considered highly credible because of his military status and expertise in aviation.
What was the exact date of the incident?: The incident occurred on October 18, 1973, around 11:00 p.m. (local time), near Mansfield, Ohio, in the United States.
How many witnesses attended the incident?: A minimum of four professional military witnesses were on board the helicopter. Several civilians on the ground also reported seeing the luminous object that night.

German Government Admits No UAP Reporting System Exists

In a formal parliamentary response, Germany's federal government confirmed it maintains no dedicated reporting channel for unidentified aerial phenomena, possesses no specialized UAP findings, and has no plans to create standardized reporting procedures for pilots and air traffic controllers observing anomalous objects.

Pentagon's Batch 7 Reveals Skinwalkers, Black Triangles, and a Century of Sightings

Pentagon's latest UFO files released October 23 document mysterious flying objects, strange seven-foot creatures, alleged skinwalkers, and decades of sightings off the California coast as part of the PURSUE program launched in May 2026. A three-page AARO memo (DOW-UAP-D176) describes a 2026 encounter at an undisclosed national security site in the western US where two federal agents witnessed a matte-black, triangular craft. Pentagon-linked investigation documents claim of strange creatures and a possible portal near Utah's Skinwalker Ranch from a 2010 BAASS investigation that interviewed over 25 witnesses.

Pentagon Reveals Bigelow's Secret Underground Vault for Exotic UAP Materials

Newly declassified Pentagon documents reveal that aerospace contractor Bigelow Aerospace developed architectural plans in 2009 for a heavily fortified 5,000-square-foot underground vault designed to store recovered hardware and biological specimens related to UAP investigations. The facility, never publicly disclosed until now, featured reinforced concrete walls three feet thick and was meant to be buried 15-20 feet underground at Bigelow's North Las Vegas operations, with plans to acquire exotic materials from private individuals and international sources including Brazil.

Discover the Ummite Letters

An archive of letters attributed to extraterrestrial beings from Ummo, covering science, philosophy, and the nature of the universe.

Browse the letters →