The Valentich Encounter

By Crusader1307

October 21, 1978. Private Pilot Frederick Valentich disappeared from radar over Bass Straight, Australia. It was assumed that he crashed. It happens it was a tragic accident......or was it Valentich was piloting a Cessna 182L plane over Australia. He had 150-hours of flight time and was rated on instrument flying . He had always wanted to serve in The Royal Australian Air Force (but did not pass the educational requirements). Further, although he had a Private Pilot License he had failed his Commercial Endorsement 5 times. It was also reported that he had been involved in flight accidents before. He is best described as a mediocre Pilot. To add more fuel to discredit Valentich The RAAF claimed that he was a self-proclaimed UFO fanatic .All this being said, Valentich radioed Melbourne Air Traffic Control at around 7 P.M. On the date in question. He stated that he was being pursued by a Disc-shaped Object - roughly 4,500 feet behind his plane. Air Control stated that they had no other contacts on radar near him.

Coming to within 1,000 feet of his plane, Valentich stated that the Object flew past him at a high rate of speed . Air Control stated that Valentich said that the Object appeared to be playing with him . Suddenly, the Object appeared directly over Valentich's plane and was matching his air speed. He reported to be having engine problems . Around 7:20 P.M. Valentich keyed open his microphone - to which Air Controllers stated they could hear a metallic scraping noise . That was the last sound heard from Valentich and radar lost contact. Search and Rescue were dispatched. No wreckage or body was ever found. The so-called recordings between Valentich and the Air Control Tower were confiscated by The RAAF (and never released). Officially , The Valentich Incident was listed as Pilot Error . (Hmmm........)