A Close Encounter Of The Third Kind

by Chase Kloetzke

Author's Note – The witness that filed this report with MUFON using the CMS has NOT released confidential information. The names will not be used nor the location revealed.

7 other witnesses claimed to have seen the very events that were reported but refused to come forward or go on the record.

It is a small town and the witness summed up the residential mind-set when he said, “Chase, around here people mind their own business and we don’t like people that don’t!”–CK

On April 20th, I was assigned a case by my Chief Investigator, Max Mitchell.

In reviewing the report, I began highlighting key elements and making notes. I saw a commonly reported claim of “orange fireballs,” red and white lights in the sky that would cluster with up to 27 at one count, they would maneuver and hover and multiple witnesses have viewed these things.

As I began to prepare for my initial contact call, I quickly wrote some immediate questions that I had and I made the call. The witness retold of the sighting and then said, “It happens almost every night.”

I gave him my contact information and asked him to stay in touch if there were any more events.

Over the course of the next week, we talked daily. I had scheduled an on-site investigation for the following weekend. This was the time of the Tennessee 100 year flood that occurred throughout the state on May 1, 2010. We were all locked down for another week.

I had already been researching the usual suspects, such as, satellites, space station, radar reports, stars and weather and now used this extra time to researched the area of interest, surrounding area, and tried to locate information of possible other reports.

This is what I found:

•The county lies in both the Mississippi and Tennessee basin. (This is a portion of land that has been drained by rivers. This area is estimated to be approximately 520 miles).

•Rough terrain and hills are close to the property.

•Several significant lakes and ponds surround the area.

•The area under soil is consistent with unconsolidated sands and clays of green sand and shell bed formation of cretaceous and orange sand. Fossil shell and mica are also present. Iron is located very near the top soil in bluff loam.

•Tennessee ley lines are reported located at Old Stone Fort in Manchester County and the Pinson Mounds in Madison County.

•Both are Federal Archeological Parks. (Ley lines are alleged alignments of ancient sites or holy places).

•The Pinson mounds are considered sacred and are most likely built 1-499 AD. This pre-historic Native American complex includes 17 mounds, earthen geometric enclosure and a number of habitations. This complex is the largest in the US and Saul’s Mound is 72 feet.

•There are 3 military bases within 100 miles of the event zone.

•Satellite imaging showed thousands of acres of farm land that are obviously used for crops and cattle.

•I searched for significant data or same reports.

•I searched for historical reports and although found several interesting urban legends, there were no historical accounts of UFOs.

I called the county sheriff’s office, local newspaper and the airport to check on local reports that may have been documented or any information was available. There were none.

Max, {our Chief Investigator} was getting updates and was very concerned with my planned trip alone to a very rural area, assigned a Secondary Investigator to ride with me. He assigned Alyson Burgess.

My witness was getting increasingly anxious and he stated that he and his cousin were out there every night looking for them and now chasing them.

I talked him into trying to take pictures of what he was seeing and not to be too aggressive in his actions. At this point, I am more worried about him on these country roads late at night chasing things we know nothing about.

On May 4th, he details a new object in the sky. He reported seeing one of “those lights” coming closer and as it did, he saw 2 more right behind it. When asked for more detail, he remained quiet for a moment and asked if I could just get out there.

Two days later at approximately 4 pm, he called very excited and said that there are now a couple of Helicopters around the area and he, in all his years in this town, has never seen helicopters fly at all over his property, let alone in his fields like, “they were looking for something.”

Then he proceeded in stating that the night before the “three lights came back,” flew over his house, just like the other night: "you know, the triangle!" he said.

In 30 minutes, I had my “Go Bag” and I was out the door. On the way to pick up Alyson, I did consider, as many times before, how incredible these reports were. Why so many different objects? Orange glowing fireballs clearly in the sky and woods? Lights in the sky that display a variety of color and cluster to a reported 27 in one place? Now triangles and helicopters?

It has been 2 1/2 weeks that I have maintained contact with this witness and have already conducted 2 thorough interviews and could not get around how credible he seemed.

He is a professional businessman with a high profile in the community. He has lived here all his life and even built his home 1 mile from where he grew up.

I am very aware at how desperately he did not want his family, location or his name to ever be released. This man had absolutely nothing to gain and everything to lose. He sincerely was not looking for publicity or monetary values.

I am now actually making this trip to help explain these unusual experiences and find the very common factor or sensible evidence so this man can get back to his otherwise, normal life.

We arrived approximately 7:15 pm. and within 10 minutes of pulling into his driveway, he escorts us to the backyard and points to an area in the sky. Just then he says, “Well, there’s one now.”

I looked and did indeed see a light in the sky. As I’m watching, waiting to point out the FAA lighting, several more appeared.

Our witness suggests that there is a better view in the corn field right down the road.

I never did get to point out the obvious aviation lights. The 3 of us piled into a big, 4 wheel drive truck and headed towards the 100 acres of newly planted corn that has only reached a 4-6 inch height. We were in the middle for a panoramic view.

Once we arrived, I started to set up my equipment, cameras, tri-field meter, magnetometer, flashlight, binoculars, my triple threat digital recorder {that also records lower frequencies and white noise}, laser dot thermometer and several other pieces of equipment.

Again, almost immediately we started to witness these lights, different colors, different locations in the sky, and at one point we could turn in any direction and see these lights.

We then spotted a “set” of lights that appeared to be coming closer. We all grabbed our cameras and soon found that all 4, different makes and models were not working.

I started for my equipment so that I could record readings and also found everything was frozen. Nothing worked!

The craft came closer and we could easily see 3 white lights in a large triangle shape with a red light in the center. A clear outline was visible.

The object was completely silent and never changed direction or speed. It flew directly over our heads. I could not believe my eyes! I honestly never expected to see anything, especially this! I felt overwhelmed and stunned.

We continued to watch until it left our view. There was no hiding the excitement and I quickly turned my attention back to the equipment that failed.

I just knew we had experienced a common occurrence, battery drain but everything was back on-line and working.

I was so puzzled and as I started to take the battery case off of my tri-field to check it, I started to feel this very uneasy feeling. It was quickly growing uncomfortable.

I turned and said, “Does anyone else feel like they are being watched?"

And "I don’t mean from up there . . . but observed from here”.

It wasn’t but 30 seconds later that I felt a complete fear that I have never known capture every cell of my body and it was almost a “blind terror.”

We all seemed to turn to run at the same time.

The witness was ahead of me by about 4 feet and had a large flashlight. As we turned to run, his light swung around his body and in the beam of light we saw something.

He said, “What the F– was that!” and turned the flashlight back to that spot.

There about 6 feet away was a being about 3 ½ ft. tall, just standing. It was one second. One, one thousand, two... !

One little tick on a clock, but we saw it! We were now in full panic run!

We all made it to the truck, got in and left that corn field so fast, we caught air several times on the dirt path to the road. No one spoke.

We reached the driveway and after getting out of the truck; we all just looked at each other for a moment.

No one knew what to say. Someone then spoke and we all just kind of started laughing a bit. I felt completely crazy! It was a just a minute and then there was quiet again.

Alyson started dialing her phone and I looked up at our witness and he again appeared very shaken. I asked him if it was OK, and he replied, “Chase, what was that?”

I just looked at him a moment not quite sure what to say and then he asked, “You saw it right?” I answered yes.

He asked again, “What was that thing Chase?”

Now, I’m gaining some senses back and not wanting to lead my witness, {I preferred HIS description first}, I just said, “It was real.”

He was seriously struggling with his emotions and actually bent down and looked up at me and said, “I’m not crazy right? Thank you for coming . . . you just don’t know . . . you saw it right? What does it want?”

As he regained composure, I realized that “we” were the strangers, the professionals that had no reason to just go along with what he said was happening. HE had an unbiased witness.

Normal, rational thinking was coming back fast and the terror I experienced was completely gone. I’m now thinking that we have to get back to that field as soon as possible. 30 minutes from our now seemingly comic exit, we were back in the field.

Back in Investigator mode, we decided to back the vehicle into a wood line to conceal our presence to try and pick up additional activity. Alyson soon pointed out a yellowish light in the woods that ascended up through the trees and hovered just outside, but above the trees. As it moved, it tended to have a wobble effect in the flight and was soon gone out of sight.

It had been a long night and one that stays with me in many ways. Although there are many other small details and even several more visits that yielded nothing after that evening, the objects that we witnessed and the fear that we felt was not only surreal, but quite frankly unbelievable.

We witnessed what many others had seen in that area, we felt the excitement and anxiousness that I heard many times from my witness during calls.

But that 1 second . . . it never leaves!

It is the one second that completely changed so much for me. One second of time that to this day is haunting! It is very true; you just can’t “UNSEE” things.

My mind always traces back to the two immediate thoughts that struck me, the eyes were nothing what I have heard reported in the past. Not even close.

They were not the large black almond eyes at all. I also was shocked at the size of the legs. They were very thin and twig-like.

I honestly remember thinking a very conscious question to myself–they’re so thin! How do they hold his body? One second of time, seared completely this memory!

I do believe this experience has made me a better Investigator for many reasons. What started as a Category 1 case very quickly turned into a Cat. 3!

What could have easily been dismissed as “lights in the sky” was now a very real case that would need attention for a while. I have told less than a handful of people about this evening. I was asked to present this case at our state conference and did just that but I rarely speak of it now.

I was asked to write this case for our [MUFON] Journal and do sincerely understand the importance in doing so, but for me and to this day, I struggle with the reality of exactly what we saw.

I will absolutely identify it right here, it was real! I am still amazed with the changes that happened because of that 1 second in my life.

Special Thanks To Chase Kloetzke

The UFO Times
"Eye in the Sky"