Anápolis: Capt. Faria de Sousa encounters huge light ball
On June 19, 1987, Brazilian Air Force Capt. Faria de Sousa was directed to check unusual air activity near Anápolis Air Base. His radar detected an object, but a large luminous sphere appeared visually above his plane without radar confirmation.
Background
Incident
On June 19, 1987 at 23:00, Captain Faria de Sousa of the Brazilian air force was landing his aircraft at Anápolis Air Base (ALA 2) in Goiás, Brazil when the control tower asked him to investigate suspicious movements nearby. On reaching the area, his airborne radar registered another craft in close proximity, whereupon the cockpit lighting flared.
Observation and Course of Events
Faria de Sousa saw a large ball of light about 3 metres across directly above his aircraft. Remarkably, this object did not appear on radar, although the radar had detected a target earlier. The encounter lasted about three minutes, until low fuel obliged him to land.
Witnesses and Evidence
The primary witness was the experienced military pilot Captain Faria de Sousa. The technical evidence comprises radar records of a nearby object and the flaring of the cockpit lights, which suggests electromagnetic interference. No images exist.
Significance
The case points to repeated military UAP encounters in Brazil during the 1980s, with a discrepancy between radar and visual observation and a potential hazard to aircraft. It is cited in UFO documentation as an example of uncooperative, radar-invisible phenomena.