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The F-89 and it's two man crew, pilot Felix Moncla and radar operator Robert Wilson |
Jet scrambled to investigate a radar blip
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Lt. Gene Moncla by T33 |
Wilson had problems tracking the object on the Scorpion's radar, so ground radar operators gave Moncla directions towards the object as he flew. Flying at some 500 miles per hour, Moncla eventually closed in on the object at about 8000 feet in altitude.
Two blips appear to merge, then both vanish
Ground Control tracked the Scorpion and the unidentified object as two "blips" on the radar screen. The two blips on the radar screen grew closer and closer, until they seemed to merge as one (return). Assuming that Moncla had flown either under or over the target, Ground Control thought that moments later, the Scorpion and the object would again appear as two separate blips. Donald Keyhoe reported that there was a fear that the two objects had struck one another "as if in a smashing collision."
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Felix Moncla and Robert Wilson |
Rather, the single blip disappeared from the radar screen, then there was no return at all.
Attempts were made to contact Moncla via radio, but this was unsuccessful. A search and rescue operation was quickly mounted, but found not a trace of the plane or the pilots.
USAF Accident Investigation Report
The official accident report states that when the unknown was first picked up on radar, it was believed to be RCAF aircraft “VC-912” but it was classified as “UNKNOWN” because it was off its flight plan course by about 30 miles. This assertion was emphatically refuted by the pilot of this RCAF flight, Gerald Fosberg, when he was interviewed for the David Cherniack documentary "The Moncla Memories" produced for Vision TV’s Enigma series.

The official USAF Accident Investigation Report states the F-89 was sent to investigate an RCAF C-47 Skytrain which was travelling off course.
The F-89 was flying at an elevation of 8000 feet when it merged with the other mystery radar return. Its IFF signal also disappeared after the two returns merged on the radar scope. Although efforts to contact the crew on radio were unsuccessful, the pilot of another F-89 sent on the search stated in testimony to the accident board that he believed that he had heard a brief radio transmission from the pilot about forty minutes after the plane disappeared.
Felix Moncla Facebook Page