On November 23, 1953, a U.S. Air Force F-89C Scorpion jet interceptor, piloted by First Lieutenant Felix E. Moncla Jr. with Second Lieutenant Robert L. Wilson as radar operator, vanished over Lake Superior. The aircraft was on a mission to intercept an unidentified radar contact, and ground radar operators watched as the two blips merged into one before disappearing from the screen.1 Despite extensive search efforts, no trace of the jet or its crew was ever found, making it one of the most enduring mysteries in UFO lore and military aviation.2
The Interception
The incident began when radar operators at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, detected an unknown target over Lake Superior. An F-89C from Kinross Air Force Base was scrambled to investigate. As the F-89C closed in on the target, radar operators at Calumet Air Force Station observed the two blips on their screens converging. At approximately 10:00 PM, the blips merged into a single return, which then vanished from radar. Communication with the F-89C ceased at this exact moment.3
Search and Official Explanations
Immediately following the disappearance, a massive search and rescue operation was launched by both U.S. and Canadian forces, covering a wide area of Lake Superior. However, no wreckage, debris, or bodies were ever recovered.4 The official U.S. Air Force explanation was that the F-89C had crashed while pursuing a Canadian C-47 aircraft that had strayed off course. However, the Royal Canadian Air Force has consistently denied any involvement of their aircraft in the incident, stating that no C-47s were in the area at the time.5 This discrepancy has fueled speculation that the unidentified target was not a conventional aircraft, leading to theories ranging from a mid-air collision with an unknown object to the aircraft being abducted.6