The Aurora Texas UFO Incident
Summary & Timeline
Early morning, April 17, 1897: A cigar-shaped airship reportedly flew over the town of Aurora, Texas, and crashed into a windmill located on the property of Judge J.S. Proctor. The airship was said to have been traveling at a low speed of about 10 miles per hour, and witnesses claimed it was made of a strange, lightweight metal. The airship reportedly caught fire upon impact with the windmill and scattered debris over several acres of land.Afternoon, April 17, 1897: Residents of Aurora began to investigate the wreckage and discovered the body of a small humanoid, thought to be the pilot of the airship. According to contemporary newspaper accounts, the body was "not of this world" and had "provisions for breathing" that were unlike anything known to exist on Earth.April 19, 1897: The Dallas Morning News reported the incident, claiming that the airship belonged to "inhabitants of the planet Mars" and that the pilot was "a native of the planet." The article also suggested that the airship was part of a larger invasion force from Mars.Late 1800s: The crash site was allegedly cleaned up and the wreckage was buried in a nearby well. The town's cemetery caretaker also claimed to have buried the body of the pilot in an unmarked grave.1973: An investigative team led by Bill Case, a UFO researcher, searched for evidence of the crash and found a debris field with metal fragments that were later analyzed and found to contain a high percentage of aluminum and iron.1998: MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) conducted its own investigation and found evidence of a small, unmarked grave in the cemetery. However, they were unable to locate any remains or confirm the existence of the burial site.Present day: The incident remains a topic of interest among UFO enthusiasts, but has been largely dismissed by skeptics as a hoax or misinterpretation of natural phenomena.
There were no specific individuals involved or named in relation to the incident beyond the town of Aurora's residents and Judge J.S. Proctor, whose windmill was reportedly destroyed by the airship. The only specific name mentioned in relation to the incident is that of Bill Case, a UFO researcher who conducted an investigation into the incident in 1973.
There were no specific individuals involved or named in relation to the incident beyond the town of Aurora's residents and Judge J.S. Proctor, whose windmill was reportedly destroyed by the airship. The only specific name mentioned in relation to the incident is that of Bill Case, a UFO researcher who conducted an investigation into the incident in 1973.