The Coyne helicopter encounter near Mansfield, Ohio

In their own words

“From a speed of 600 mph, it abruptly slowed down to our exact speed of 100 mph and hovered above us.”

Evidence, in date order (4)

1. 18 Oct 1973Ground witnesses 'Mrs. E. C.' and four adolescentswitness
   saw an object like a blimp hovering over a helicopter and everything turn green Jennie Zeidman (CUFOS), Coyne case summary
2. 23 Nov 19731LT Arrigo D. Jezzi, co-pilotwitness
   signed the Army report and gave his own account of the light and speed Army DA Form 2496, 23 Nov 1973 (scan)
3. 23 Nov 1973SSG Robert Yanacsek, crew chiefwitness
   first saw the red light, signed the report, and described the hover Army DA Form 2496, 23 Nov 1973 (scan)
4. 23 Nov 1973SSG John Healey, flight medicwitness
   signed the report and described the green spotlight Army DA Form 2496, 23 Nov 1973 (scan)

How plausible · Very high

An Army report signed by all four crewmen records the near-collision, and ground witnesses saw the object over the helicopter.

• ●●
  Access Direct observation or instruments.
• ●●
  Cost of speaking Named on record.
• ●●
  No gain sought Nothing to gain.
• ●●
  Consistent over time Stable over time.
• ●●
  Character record Trained professionals.
• ●●
  Independent convergence Independent sources agree.

Plausibility weighs how well an account fits where secrecy hides the documents by design, so missing records never count against it. Strength measures what is documented. Assessed 2026-10-23.

On the record

• Army disposition form, 23 Nov 1973 (firsthand, attested by the crew): "On 18 October 1973 at 2305 hours in the vicinity of Mansfield, Ohio, Army Helicopter 68-15444 assigned to Cleveland USARFFAC encountered a near midair collision with a unidentified flying object." Crew: "CPT Lawrence J. Coyne, Pilot in Command, 1LT Arrigo Jozzi [sic; signed 'Arrigo D. Jezzi'], Copilot, SSG Robert Yanacsek, Crew Chief, SSG John Healey, Flight Medic", all of the 316th Med Det (Hel Amb). Heading 030° at 2,500 ft, east-southeast of Mansfield Airport. "SSG Yanacsek observed a red light on the east horizon, 90 degrees to the flight path." About 30 seconds later, "the object was converging on the helicopter at the same altitude at a airspeed in excess of 600 knots and on a midair collision heading." Coyne took the controls and "initiated a power descent from 2500 feet to 1700 feet". Mansfield Tower "acknowledged the helicopter", but then "there was no response received from the tower". "The object was observed to hesitate momentarily over the helicopter and then slowly continued on a westerly course accelerating at a high rate of speed, clear west of Mansfield Airport then turn 45 degree heading to the Northwest." "Cpt Coyne indicated the altimeter read a 1000 fpm climb and read 3500 feet with the collective in the full down position." The flight plan was closed and FAA Flight Service notified. The FSS told Coyne to report to the FAA GADO office at Cleveland Hopkins. 83d USARCOM was notified at 1530 on 19 Oct 73. "This report has been read and attested to by the crewmembers of the aircraft with signatures acknowledgeing this report." Note: the NICAP directory text says "100 fpm". The scan clearly reads 1000 fpm.
• The form describes no shape, green light or compass behaviour. Those details come from the later interviews below.

Claims

Where

Threads · click one to see it on the board

Sources

• Army DA Form 2496, 23 Nov 1973 (scan)
• Transcription of the same (CUFON FOIA document #31)
• Jennie Zeidman (CUFOS), Coyne case summary
• NICAP case directory (orientation)