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Encounters with the Unknown



Low level UFO incidents, Mysterious Creature Encounters Among the 2013 Weird Incidents Reported from Pennsylvania


by: Stan Gordon (www.stangordon.info)


A large rectangular object hovered low over a major highway, and residents of Pennsylvania reported encounters with Bigfoot, giant birds, and other strange creatures. These were some of the strange incidents reported from across the Keystone state during 2013. Other people reported such things as mystery booms, strange animal screams, mysterious footprints, as well as various other paranormal events. Some people submitted photos and videos of anomalies that they could not explain.

During 2013, my desk was covered with reports of UFO sightings and other unusual incidents from statewide locations that originated from 50 counties of the commonwealth. I also received reports from nearby states such as West Virginia, Virginia, and Ohio. Quite often,those who experience strange events will either contact me directly, or report their experiences to other research groups or independent researchers. Such sources include the PA Chapter of (MUFON) The Mutual UFO Network, www.mufonpa.com, Peter Davenport’s, “National UFO Reporting Center,” www.nuforc.org, and the Pennsylvania Bigfoot Society, www.pabigfootsociety.com. I maintain contact with many research groups and Pennsylvania as well as with national researchers.

In 1959, I began to log reports of mysterious happenings. In 1969 I started taking calls from the public on UFO sightings and other unusual occurrences and I continue to receive phone and e-mail sighting reports on a frequent basis. It was after the Kecksburg UFO incident in 1965 that I began to conduct on the scene investigations of such odd occurrences. It was during that time that it became apparent that the majority of UFO sightings and other strange encounters reported could be found to have a natural or man-made explanation. Many UFO sightings that people call me about are determined to be misidentifications of such things as bright stars and planets, meteors, search lights, space debris, Chinese lanterns, and even rare meteorological events. Some Bigfoot sightings and even observations of other unusual animals are commonly found to be misidentifications as well.

An odd blob on the ground near Latrobe was identified as a slime mold known as “dog vomit fungus”. On a yearly basis, however, some UFO sightings and other oddities reported can’t be so easily explained away. During the last couple of years in Pennsylvania, we are seeing an increase of UFO cases where structured objects are being observed at a low level and at very close range.

UFOs of various shapes and sizes were reported statewide during 2013. Sightings of disc, cigar, triangular and spherical objects were reported. Observations of rectangular objects appeared to be on the increase. Over the years, UFOs have appeared frequently over the rivers and lakes of Pennsylvania. During February, in the Monongahela River in Washington County, four to six roughly round transparent objects moved in a random group through the water about 40 feet from shore. Behind each object was a trail about six feet long suggesting they were propelled? Each object protruded about 3-4 inches above the water causing a disturbance. Suddenly the objects all stopped at the same time and disappeared from sight.

One March evening, seven to nine yellowish- gold colored rectangular objects moved in a formation, “like a train in the sky,” over the Greensburg area. On the evening of June 1st, a woman and her three year old child were traveling eastbound of Route 30 in North Huntingdon Township in Westmoreland County. Ahead of them was a 55 feet long solid rectangular object hovering silently about 60 feet above the highway. The woman said the object, “looked like the gondola of a blimp without the blimp.” The object was described as two tiered, and the lighting configuration was unlike conventional navigational lighting. As they passed under the object, all of the dashboard electronics in the car went dead. The woman attempted to take a picture with her iPhone but the camera function would not load up. She lost her cell phone signal as well. As the woman accelerated down the road and away from the object, all electronic functions returned to normal.

In July, near Jeannette, a large dark elongated cloud was observed in a clear sky that seemed out of place. From the left side of the cloud appeared a long rippling line of what looked like burning smoke that was rolling out. From the end of that line a baseball sized sphere of light appeared and began to move toward the east and closer to the witness. As the object moved, it increased in size from that of a baseball to nearly that of a volley ball. The silent object stopped about 50-60 feet away in front of the witness, and several hundred feet off the ground. The object hovered for several seconds then accelerated in speed and zoomed off into the sky toward the south.

Reported encounters with huge hair covered bipedal creatures have been a part of Pennsylvania history. Hundreds of Bigfoot sightings have been recorded from many parts of the state. Residents living around the Chestnut Ridge in Westmoreland, Fayette, and Indiana counties continued to report possible Bigfoot activity during 2013. In January, in Indiana county, strange whining sounds and something banging on the side of a country home unnerved a family who found a series of five toed footprints in the snow.

Eric Altman, Director of the PA Bigfoot Society, saw a slowdown in sighting reports, track discoveries and encounters in 2013. The group did receive several reports in the spring in Fayette County and again in the fall. Reports also were submitted from Westmoreland County from communities close to or within proximity of the Chestnut Ridge. During the fall months, the P.B.S. also received and investigated claims from Clearfield, Elk, Pike, and Lycoming Counties. No conclusive evidence was collected and some of these cases are still being investigated.

In December, hunters a few miles north of Greensburg came across a series of footprints unlike anything they had ever seen in the woods. The tracks were 11 ½ inches long and 5 ½ inches wide. There were 4 toes in the front, and one toe off to the side. They were similar to pongid or ape-like tracks. Over the years, similar tracks have been found from across the state.

Observations continue of giant birds with massive wingspans (Thunderbirds). On May 17th, during the afternoon, a man on a motorcycle riding on a rural road in Derry Township, Westmoreland County, was surprised when a huge flying creature passed from left to right about 50 feet in front of him. The dark colored flying creature was only about 8-10 feet above the roadway. The witness stated that the “wingspan was gigantic,” and estimated it to be 20 feet or more in length.

During June, a mystery animal was observed and photographed in Unity Township, Westmoreland County. The animal was a little larger than a fawn, with a face somewhat like a dog and had large ears. The body of the animal was estimated to be about 2 to 2 ½ feet long with a tail about a foot long. The entire animal was described as really dark brown and completely hairless. The tail was long and skinny. The creature appeared to be very thin, and the back legs of the animal appeared to be longer than the front legs. The weirdest physical detail of the animal was a very prominent snout. In past years I have received similar such reports from other locations in the state.

To report a UFO or Bigfoot encounter or any strange event from Pennsylvania, contact Stan at 724-838-7768 or via e-mail at:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Thursday, March 28, 2024