Paranormal record / 1997

The Howden Moor Incident: The Aircrash That Never Was

March 24, 1997 · Howden Moors, Dark Peak, on the South Yorkshire and Derbyshire border, United Kingdom

40Partially documented Paranormal Other 13 sources 1 real photos 4 videos

24 March 1997. A clear, cold night over the Peak District. Comet Hale-Bopp was at its brightest, and people were outside looking up. Then the calls began. Near Bolsterstone, a plane passed so low that a farmer "instinctively dipped his head." An orange glow followed. Then plumes of smoke. Then a strong smell of burning. Across the Howden Moors, witnesses described a big aircraft flying far below the legal altitude, a long cigar that glowed as if on fire, and a bang loud enough to drown out the television. Almost 200 people searched the moors through the night. They found nothing. No wreckage. No crash site. No missing plane.

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Key facts

When	March 24, 1997
Time of day	night, core activity about 9.50 pm to 10.35 pm
Where	Howden Moors, Dark Peak, on the South Yorkshire and Derbyshire border,United Kingdom
Duration	core activity about 45 minutes; outlying reports from 7.40 pm to 11.45 pm
Witnesses	12
Witness roles	police,pilot,military
Found	,,declassified documents
Evidence	none confirmed
Investigations	South Yorkshire Police,Ministry of Defence,RAF Provost & Security Services,British Geological Survey
Status	undisputed

The phenomenon

A big aircraft flying west far too low, about 500 feet, with bright lights, lit windows or just two red lights, and a loud humming. One witness saw a long dark cigar with no wings, glowing as if on fire. A deafening bang followed, then an orange glow, plumes of smoke and a smell of burning.

Altitude	about 152 m
Colour	orange, red, white
Lights	white and red
Sound	hum
Motion	slow drift, hovered, split or merged
Weather	clear

Context

Monday, 24 March 1997. The Dark Peak, on the border of South Yorkshire and Derbyshire. The night was clear and cold, with a full moon. Comet Hale-Bopp was at its brightest, and across the valleys people had stepped outside to watch it.

Sources (13, most influential first)

Howden Moor incident · Dr David Clarke · Research organisation · org report
Moorland UFO mystery revisited · David Clarke (Substack)· 2024-08-25 · Wiki, blog, podcast · blog
Howden Moor UFO · UFO Insight (Marcus Lowth)· 2018-04-09 · Wiki, blog, podcast · blog
Mystery Booms · Dr David Clarke· 2012-04-13 · Wiki, blog, podcast · blog
Peak District Phantom Aircraft / Ghost Fliers · Dr David Clarke · Wiki, blog, podcast · blog

Reputability

40/100Partially documented

Editorial note: most sources for this case are later retellings; the press and book coverage is thin.

Keywords

People

Marie-France TattersfieldSouth Yorkshire Police special constable who saw a low, brightly lit aircraft near Bolsterstone
John LittlewoodGamekeeper on Midhope Moor who saw a long, slow, low aircraft with two red lights
Christine BurbearySouth Yorkshire Police chief inspector who commanded the search
Glenn FordBritish Geological Survey senior seismologist who analysed the sonic events
Helen JacksonMP for Sheffield Hillsborough who tabled parliamentary questions in 1998
David ClarkeJournalist and researcher who investigated the case and obtained official records
Leon RockleyTeenager in Parson Cross who filmed lights in the sky with a camcorder
Max BurnsUFO researcher who claimed jets intercepted a UFO and a crash followed

Names

David Clarke men in black Daily Mail Civil Aviation Authority