East / Fredericksburg, VA being encounter — May 16, 1971

The detailed NICAP account concerns a dark, cloudy night in May 1971 near Passapatanzy, east of Fredericksburg, Virginia. A teenage boy, identified in later summaries as Michael D., had been camping with two companions and his German shepherd, Lucky. While the others investigated a distant car horn, he noticed a luminous object above a pond. It crossed high-voltage wires, approached the field and extended landing legs before settling nearby. A lowered door revealed a huge, powerfully built figure with long arms and shiny clothing, carrying a glowing box. Michael crouched in wet grass. He said the figure approached, then retreated with a stiff, bouncing gait when the dog growled and advanced. The object reportedly departed after several minutes. His companions found him frightened and crouching in the grass. Two nights later, relatives described a separate object sighting involving a car and electrical disturbances, without an occupant. John Carlson and Bruce Maccabee investigated, and NICAP published the case in September 1973. The publication says late May at night; a later summary gives 15 May at 10 p.m., whereas the imported catalogue gives 16 May at 3 p.m. The disagreement prevents a settled exact chronology. Virginia, rather than the West Virginia label in some later summaries, is supported by the original report.