The Cash–Landrum Incident
Three people on a Texas back road said a diamond of fire hovered over them, then flew off surrounded by helicopters.
What was reported
Late on 29 December 1980, Betty Cash, Vickie Landrum and Landrum's seven-year-old grandson Colby were driving home through pine forest near Huffman when, they said, a huge, diamond-shaped object blocked the road ahead, hovering over the trees with flames shooting from beneath it.
They described fierce heat. As it moved away, they said, it was followed by a large number of helicopters, some with twin rotors. In the days after, all three felt unwell, and Cash had long-lasting health problems.
Explanations offered
The US military said it had no aircraft like that in the area, and a lawsuit against the government was dismissed in 1986. Some think the witnesses saw a secret military craft with an escort of Chinook helicopters; sceptics point out that their symptoms had other possible causes and that no one else confirmed the object. No explanation has been agreed.
- When
- 29 December 1980
- Where
- Near Huffman, Texas, USA
- Witnesses
- Betty Cash, Vickie Landrum and her grandson
- Status
- Unidentified
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.