NOISY-LE-ROI (78) 08.08.2013

On 8 August 2013 at about 23:10–23:15, 2 people in an apartment in Noisy-le-Roi (78) heard a fairly loud, constant sound and saw a low-flying, dark rectangular object they did not recognize, with red and white lights. GEIPAN finds it very probably a military transport aircraft, specifically an A400M approaching Vélizy-Villacoublay airfield; see the investigation report. Supporting features are the lights, compatible estimated size and distance, characteristic sound, gray color, hard-to-discern outline against the night sky, a matching air route and the fact that the aircraft had already used that route. The evidence is very strong: 2 witnesses supplied 2 detailed statements to the gendarmerie and GEIPAN, each with a sketch, although there were no photographs or videos. GEIPAN considers the observation only slightly unusual: an ordinary object seen under uncommon viewing conditions. It classifies the case B: very probable observation of a military transport aircraft.