Summary
On the afternoon of 24 April 1964, Socorro police officer Lonnie Zamora abandoned a pursuit of a speeding vehicle after hearing a loud roar and seeing a bluish-orange flame descending nearby. Investigating what he initially thought might be an explosion, he encountered a shiny, whitish oval object resting in a desert gully. Zamora also reported briefly seeing two small figures dressed in white near the object. As he approached, the object reportedly lifted from the ground with a powerful roar and flame before becoming silent and rapidly disappearing into the distance. The incident was subsequently investigated by the U.S. Air Force's Project Blue Book.
Additional Notes
Zamora described the object as approximately the size of a car, supported above the ground by landing legs and bearing an unusual red symbol. Shortly after the object departed, Sergeant Sam Chavez arrived at the scene, where investigators later documented four ground impressions and areas of burned or scorched vegetation. Zamora was interviewed by military and civilian investigators, and his reliability was regarded highly by Project Blue Book personnel. Various explanations, including experimental aircraft and a hoax, have subsequently been proposed, but Project Blue Book ultimately classified the case as unidentified.
The Location Today
The reported landing site is associated with terrain near Socorro. The exact mapped parcel, current ownership and public access have not yet been verified.
- Environment
- Desert, Village / Rural Area
- Time of Day
- around 5:45 p.m.
- Evidence Level
- Official Record
- Visiting the Location
- Unknown
- Ownership of the Location
- Unknown