LANCON-PROVENCE (13) 03.07.2015

On 3 July 2015 around 22:00 during a family gathering, a witness and his son went to the far end of the garden. A loud, deep, low rumble was heard, then the witness saw a mass moving above trees at the neighbouring house. About 100 steady lights were visible underneath it. He tried to alert the others, but the noise prevented him. The rest of the group saw no phenomenon, although all heard the rumble. Only 1 account was collected. The many coloured lights beneath a dark mass are atypical, but the engine sound suggests aircraft. Mapping places the witness along Salon-de-Provence’s runway axis, where the Patrouille de France was particularly active preparing graduation and 14 July displays (see the map). The team confirmed take-off at 21:49 for a flight of about 1 hour (see the night-training video). Météociel recorded south-easterly wind at Marignane. GEIPAN infers take-off into the wind towards the south-east, nearly over the witness. He very probably saw them either just after departure, in groups of 4 as shown in the video, or after regrouping. Focusing on at least 4 navigation lights per aircraft, at least 32 lights in total, could create a familiar shape or contour illusion of 1 dark object carrying them all. The times do not exactly match: reported 22:00 versus take-off at 21:49. A second pass after regrouping or an uncertain witness time could explain this. Approximately 100 reported lights versus 32 on 8 aircraft is also a notable discrepancy. GEIPAN classifies the case B: observation of the Patrouille de France shortly after take-off. Without precise minute-by-minute flight paths, the exact scenario is not established; GEIPAN retains a very strong coincidence between the events.