The Coyne helicopter incident

On 18 October 1973 the crew of an Army helicopter near Mansfield, Ohio, reported a red light converging on them. Philip Klass later said the object was a fireball from the Orionid meteor shower.

On 18 October 1973, residents of north central Ohio saw strange lights over Charles Mill Lake, according to the Richland Source. The Coyne Incident, also called the Mansfield Encounter, is counted among the most thoroughly documented UFO cases in the United States.

An Army report dated 23 Nov 1973 sets out the crew's account. The aircraft, an Army helicopter numbered 68-15444, was on its way back from Columbus to Cleveland and was near Mansfield at 2305 hours, flying at 2500 feet. Yanacsek saw a red light low in the east. About 30 seconds later he said the object closed at the helicopter's own altitude, at over 600 knots, on a heading for a midair collision. Captain Coyne reported that the altimeter then read 3500 feet, climbing 1000 feet per minute with the collective full down. He brought the aircraft back to 2500 feet and flew on to Cleveland, where the FAA was notified.

Aviation Week & Space Technology editor Philip Klass announced that his investigation found the object was "a fireball of the Orionid meteor shower". Richland County History notes that the Orionids peak each year in mid October.