Report of an Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon and its Safety Implications at O'Hare International Airport on November 7, 2006

This technical report, authored by the National Aviation Reporting Center on Anomalous Phenomena (NARCAP), provides an extensive analysis of an incident occurring on November 7, 2006, at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. Multiple airline employees and ground observers reported a round, gray, metallic object hovering silently above Gate C17 in Concourse C for at least ten to eighteen minutes. The object, estimated to be between 20 and 88 feet in diameter, was observed hovering below a cloud base of approximately 1,900 feet. Witnesses reported that the object departed suddenly, ascending at a slight angle to the east and leaving a distinct, circular hole in the cloud layer. The report highlights that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) did not detect the object on radar, nor did air traffic controllers in the tower observe it visually. The report includes detailed witness accounts, including those from United Airlines mechanics and a ground observer, Ms. J.H., who provided extensive testimony. The authors analyze the weather conditions, concluding that the 'hole in the cloud' phenomenon was not caused by natural weather processes like the Bergeron-Findeisen process. Furthermore, the report examines radar coverage and propagation conditions, noting that while NEXRAD weather radar detected a faint echo near the time of the sighting, it was not definitive. The report concludes that the incident represents a significant aviation safety concern, as a solid object was able to hover over the nation's busiest airport without being detected by standard surveillance systems. The authors argue that the incident was not a hoax and call for an official government inquiry into the nature of the phenomenon and the adequacy of current detection technologies.