The Coyne Incident

On October 18, 1973, an Army Reserve helicopter crew had a terrifying encounter with a UFO near Mansfield, Ohio. The object stopped their emergency descent and pulled them upward against their controls—one of the most dramatic military UFO cases on record.

The Crew

Army Reserve helicopter:

• Captain Lawrence Coyne (pilot)
• First Lieutenant Arrigo Jezzi
• Sergeant John Healey
• Specialist Robert Yanacsek
• All experienced

The Flight

October 18, 1973:

• Routine flight
• Columbus to Cleveland
• UH-1H Huey helicopter
• Around 11:00 PM
• Clear night

First Sighting

Yanacsek noticed:

• Red light
• On eastern horizon
• Approaching
• Seemed to pace them
• Reported to Coyne

The Approach

Object came at them:

• High speed
• Collision course
• Coyne dove
• Emergency descent
• 500 feet per minute

The Radio

Coyne tried:

• To radio for help
• Mansfield approach
• Radio dead
• No response
• Complete failure

The Object

Crew saw:

• Gray metallic structure
• Cigar-shaped
• 60 feet long
• Red light on front
• Green light on rear

The Hover

Object stopped:

• Above the helicopter
• Green beam of light
• Filled the cockpit
• Crew transfixed
• Extraordinary moment

The Ascent

Most remarkable:

• Helicopter was pulled up
• Against controls
• Collective pitched down
• Yet rising
• 1,000 feet per minute up

Physical Impossibility

Coyne stated:

• Should have descended
• Controls said down
• Aircraft went up
• From 1,700 to 3,500 feet
• Defied physics

Object Departure

After encounter:

• Object accelerated west
• Then turned north
• Toward Lake Erie
• At incredible speed
• Gone in seconds

Ground Witnesses

Family on ground:

• Saw the encounter
• Confirmed green light
• Saw helicopter
• Independent corroboration
• Multiple angles

Official Report

Coyne filed:

• Army report
• Detailed account
• All crew concurred
• Never explained
• Went up chain

NTSB Interest

Aviation authorities:

• Examined case
• No explanation
• Controls verified working
• Helicopter undamaged
• Mystery remained

Coyne’s Credibility

Captain Coyne:

• Career officer
• 19 years experience
• Nothing to gain
• Maintained story
• Completely credible

The Magnetic Compass

After incident:

• Compass behaved oddly
• Wouldn’t hold heading
• Eventually returned normal
• Physical effect
• Documented

Significance

Coyne incident significant for:

• Military crew
• Four witnesses
• Ground corroboration
• Physical effects
• Official documentation

Legacy

The Coyne helicopter incident represents one of the most compelling military UFO encounters. A crew of four professionals experienced something that defied their understanding of flight—and they never wavered in their testimony.