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1975 · Robeson, Hoke, Sampson, Bladen, Columbus and Pitt counties, southern North Carolina, centred on Lumberton

Lumberton, North Carolina: police reports of a V-shaped light

Sourced, unconfirmed
Strength B · 8/10 · 6 independent
Evidence 2/4 · Witnesses 3/3 · Backing 3/3

Dozens of named police officers reported the object over several nights, logged in police records and studied in Zeidman's CUFOS report, with ash traces photographed at Pembroke.

Plausibility High
Score 11 · 6 factors for, 0 against

Dozens of named police officers reported the object over several nights, logged in police records and studied by Zeidman for CUFOS.

See the factors ↓

Natural cause proposed, not demonstrated
Patrolman Phil Stanton's drawing and water-tower overlay · Jennie Zeidman, The Lumberton Report (CUFOS Report No. 3, 1976), Internet Archive scan
When3-9 April 1975 (main activity 3-5 April)
WhereRobeson, Hoke, Sampson, Bladen, Columbus and Pitt counties, southern North Carolina, centred on Lumberton
Backing6 independent
Witnesses4 named
Evidencedocuments, physical traces

In their own words

“It was triangular-shaped with a row of lights down each side, and one big spotlight on the front ... the craft looked like it was just about the size of my patrol car.”
Phil Stanton, Lumberton patrolman, 3 April 1975 · source

Over about 75 hours in early April 1975, police officers and deputies across southern North Carolina reported a silent, car-sized, V-shaped or triangular light. They said it hovered at roughly 200-300 ft, shone a steerable spotlight, made flat turns, and twice seemed to blink back in answer to headlight signals. The first report came at 01:45 on 3 April from Lumberton patrolman Phil Stanton, who saw it over the town's water tower. The best investigative record is CUFOS Report No. 3, Jennie Zeidman's The Lumberton Report (May 1976). It is built on interviews and on the police logs, and it counts at least 57 events and at least 48 police witnesses. Separately, the Strickland/Locklear party reported five red lights landing in daylight near Pembroke, with ash-like traces left behind. No government investigation file has been found. A Piedmont Airlines Boeing 737 on night proficiency flights was proposed locally as the cause. Zeidman showed it could not account for several of the key reports.

Evidence, in date order (6)

  1. Apr 1975Police radio logs (Lumberton PD, Robeson County SO and others)document
    Contemporaneous logs the report is keyed to Jennie Zeidman, The Lumberton Report (CUFOS Report No. 3, May 1976), Internet Archive
  2. Apr 1975The Robesonian staff photographerphysical
    Photographs of ash-like traces at the Pembroke landing site Jennie Zeidman, The Lumberton Report (CUFOS Report No. 3, May 1976), Internet Archive
  3. 3 Apr 1975Officers P. H. Atkinson and Neil McCormickwitness
    Saw the light hovering over the water tower at the same time as Stanton Jennie Zeidman, The Lumberton Report (CUFOS Report No. 3, May 1976), Internet Archive
  4. 3 Apr 1975Patrolman R. T. Hagens and John McPhersonwitness
    Saw a blinding flash and an object rise, accelerate and change direction Jennie Zeidman, The Lumberton Report (CUFOS Report No. 3, May 1976), Internet Archive
  5. 3 Apr 1975Hoke County Deputy George S. McGuirewitness
    Pursued a V-shaped object heading northeast Jennie Zeidman, The Lumberton Report (CUFOS Report No. 3, May 1976), Internet Archive
  6. 4 Apr 1975Police Chief Garry Moore and dispatcher Ronn Thompsonwitness
    Objects blinked back in answer to their signals Jennie Zeidman, The Lumberton Report (CUFOS Report No. 3, May 1976), Internet Archive

How plausible · High

Dozens of named police officers reported the object over several nights, logged in police records and studied by Zeidman for CUFOS.

  • ●●
    Access Police on patrol.
  • ●●
    No gain sought On duty.
  • ●●
    Character record Police.
  • ●●
    Independent convergence Dozens of officers.
  • ●●
    Checkable details check out Police logs; CUFOS report.
  • ●○
    Cost of speaking Named officers.

Plausibility weighs how well an account fits where secrecy hides the documents by design, so missing records never count against it. Strength measures what is documented. Assessed 2026-10-23.

On the record

  • 01:45, 3 April, Lumberton. Officers P. H. Atkinson and Neil McCormick saw "an unfamiliar light hovering over the water tower behind Lumberton High School", first taking it for a helicopter. At the same moment, patrolman Phil Stanton, about 200 yards from the tower, got out of his car: "It was triangular-shaped with a row of lights down each side, and one big spotlight on the front ... the craft looked like it was just about the size of my patrol car. I saw a beam of light just directed straight down and it lit up the lettering on the water tower. Then the spotlight went out and the thing just took off at a terrific rate of speed, making no sound." (report pp. 3-5; Fig. 1-2). The water tower is 162 ft high (Robeson County Public Works).
  • About 01:55, near St. Pauls. Patrolman R. T. (Tommy) Hagens and civilian John "Bud" McPherson, alerted by Stanton's radio call, saw a "blinding flash of light which lit up the woods like a giant flash bulb". Then, Hagens: "It rose slowly above the trees ... then suddenly accelerated, changed direction, and in 15 to 20 seconds it had faded out" (p. 5, Fig. 3). Robesonian staff later inspected the area and found no landing evidence.
  • 02:15: Hoke County Deputy George S. McGuire reported pursuing a V-shaped object heading northeast.
  • 02:20: Roseboro officer Jim Driver saw a silent object with a big front light hovering over pecan trees (p. 6 ff.).
  • 4 April, 20:45, White Lake: Police Chief Garry Moore's object blinked "in apparent response to Moore's signal" (chart; Fig. 6).
  • 4 April, 21:05, 5 mi NW of Rowland: dispatcher Ronn Thompson saw an object with two bright spotlights. It "blinked twice in apparent response to Thompson's signal" (chart).

Claims

About 80 witnesses total, 40 of whom were police (secondhand (*Cardinal Pine* feature, 2020s). It conflicts with Zeidman's figures (at least 48 police, at least 60 named observers).)secondhandSourced, unconfirmed
The Lumberton reports inspired early scenes of *Close Encounters of the Third Kind* (speculation (*Cardinal Pine*, "allegedly"). Unsourced.)speculationSourced, unconfirmed
The object was a Marine Corps AV-8 Harrier (speculation, suggested by unnamed persons and recorded by Zeidman (p. 43). She considers it unlikely because the Harrier is so loud and no sound was reported.)speculationSourced, unconfirmed

Where

Robeson, Hoke, Sampson, Bladen, Columbus and Pitt counties, southern North Carolina, centred on Lumberton
34.6°N 79.0°W · region only
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Sources

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