[AERO LOC] VERNOUILLET (28) 20.03.2011

On Sunday 20 March 2011 at 15:30, a pilot near overhead Dreux aerodrome manoeuvred to avoid a many-faceted polygonal object, mostly black with some green facets. He estimated its diameter at 2–3 m and thought it stationary or moving very slowly. It had disappeared by the time he turned back. GEIPAN considers an amateur-launched thermal or solar balloon probable. Its black colour, apparent lack of a basket and size fit, although investigators found no other example of that balloon shape. Aircraft turbulence might just possibly have destabilized it and caused a rapid descent, explaining disappearance. The accompanying investigation report classifies the case B.