[D654] DE TERRAUBE (32) VERS COLOGNE (32) 23.11.2023

On 23 November 2023 between 10:30 and 11:00, two people driving on the D654 from Terraube (32) toward Cologne (32) saw a black, generally round object apparently moving erratically in the sky. The case has good evidential strength*, despite only T1 reporting, because the short accompanying video could be analyzed. *Under GEIPAN's criteria, evidential strength is the amount of information collected for an account that is considered reliable and objectively substantiated. Analysis of air traffic identified a dark-gray C-17 military transport in the viewing direction at a compatible time (see investigation report). The witness very probably glimpsed it against blue sky or white cloud before losing it while reaching for his smartphone to take photographs and video. Detailed examination, especially of the first video frames, found: - On two occasions the UAP moved in precisely the same directions and by the same amounts as interior vehicle features such as the dashboard or mirrors. The investigation considers this non-coincidental and indicative of a reflection or optical artifact involving light and the vehicle glass, rather than an object in the distant sky (see GIF animation). - Defocusing significantly reduced depth of field in some frames while both the UAP and interior vehicle parts remained sharp. This suggests a very small, nearby object. The focusing behavior strongly indicates it was immediately against the windshield. The later frames are unusable because of strong camera movement while the car was moving and because the UAP left the frame. T1 naturally combined the two stimuli because they looked similar and occurred close together in place and time. The case is classified A: observation of a C-17 military aircraft and a very small, very close object immediately beside or on the windshield. The analysis's reflection/artifact possibility and the final nearby-object wording are both retained.