WOLFGANTZEN (68) 12.08.2022

On 12 August 2022 between 18:00 and 18:10, a witness on a private terrace noticed an object unrecognizable either to the naked eye or through binoculars. He first thought of an aircraft, but could see neither wings nor tail fin. Its white color was intensely bright, leading him to consider an airship. Two others present also watched. He took a phone photograph. About 2–3 minutes later he noticed a higher airliner traveling almost perpendicular to the UAP's path and leaving a condensation trail. Only 1 account was collected. Substantiation is adequate: several observers but 1 account, plus a UAP photograph without metadata. Remaining strangeness after investigation is low (see investigation report). Analysis identified the UAP as a Lufthansa Mitsubishi CRJ-900LR airliner, flight DLH3AJ. Its description and photographed appearance—a very bright white cylinder—fit an aircraft fuselage in daylight against blue sky. The second aircraft's crossing path 2–3 minutes later enabled both aircraft to be identified: the UAP and the one the witness recognized as an airplane. The moderate viewing angle, distance, strongly reflective white fuselage and atmospheric effects prevented recognition. The aircraft's azure-blue tail could blend into the blue sky. Its straight path and constant speed also fit. The aircraft were about 600 m apart in altitude, so differing pressure, temperature and humidity could explain why only 1 left a contrail. This cannot be formally confirmed because more precise data are unavailable: the nearest radiosonde sounding was about 200 km away and 1 hour earlier. Nevertheless, it remains entirely plausible, and GEIPAN has studied similar situations. The case is classified A: observation of an airliner.